Former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) MP HD Deve Gowda urged the government to establish a second airport in Bengaluru during the Question Hour session in Rajya Sabha on Monday. Highlighting the growing passenger traffic at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), he emphasized the urgent need for an additional airport to ease congestion.
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Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu MP Thambidurai also advocated for an airport in Hosur, which is just an hour’s drive from Bengaluru, further fueling the debate over aviation infrastructure in the region.
What Deve Gowda said?
Addressing the Rajya Sabha, Deve Gowda stated that the Karnataka government had already proposed the construction of a second airport and had discussed the matter with the Union Minister. “The proposal has reached an advanced stage. I am not opposing Tamil Nadu’s demand, but there is a challenge that needs to be addressed. We must carefully assess how to move forward with this issue,” he said.
Stressing the importance of meeting growing air travel demands, he added, “The international airport that I sanctioned is struggling to accommodate the increasing passenger volume, and Karnataka is actively exploring solutions to address this.”
{{/usCountry}}Stressing the importance of meeting growing air travel demands, he added, “The international airport that I sanctioned is struggling to accommodate the increasing passenger volume, and Karnataka is actively exploring solutions to address this.”
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In response, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu acknowledged the need for a second airport in Bengaluru and assured that the government would take the request forward. “Bengaluru’s airport is becoming increasingly saturated. Discussions on a second airport are underway, and once a site is finalized and submitted for clearance, we will proceed accordingly,” Naidu said.
In August last, the Karnataka government had shortlisted seven potential locations for Bengaluru’s second airport but faced internal differences over the final selection. Home Minister G Parameshwara pushed for Tumakuru, which is close to his constituency, while Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar favored sites in Ramanagara, particularly Bidadi and Harohalli. The internal debate has delayed the final decision, with discussions still ongoing to determine the most suitable location. State Minister MB Patil confirmed that an official announcement regarding the site selection would be made soon.