‘Kanakapura Road, Mysuru Road…’: Karnataka minister unveils potential areas for Bengaluru's 2nd airport; Check details
Karnataka Infrastructure Minister MB Patil confirmed plans for a second international airport in Bengaluru to handle up to 100 million passengers annually.
Karnataka Minister for Infrastructure MB Patil on Wednesday announced that Bengaluru is poised to receive a second international airport to accommodate its burgeoning growth as a global city. Speaking at a press conference at Vidhana Soudha, Patil said the new airport will have the capacity to handle up to 100 million passengers annually, news agency ANI reported.
Patil explained that the airport will require a land area of approximately 4,500 to 5,000 acres. A high-level committee will evaluate various factors to determine the most suitable location for this major infrastructure project, the agency said.
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Addressing concerns about the Tamil Nadu government’s plan to develop an airport at Hosur in response to Karnataka’s move for a second Bengaluru airport, Patil assured that this decision will not impact Karnataka’s development plans.
"Currently, KIA, which is the third busiest airport in the country after Mumbai and Delhi, has an annual capacity of handling 52 million passengers and 0.71 million tonnes of cargo. Further expansions could optimise these figures to 110 million passengers and 1.10 million tonnes of cargo. The airport is expected to reach its peak handling capacity by 2035, both in terms of passengers and cargo. Thereafter, there will be no scope for further building runways, as it already has two," he said, as quoted by the agency.
The Minister revealed that potential sites for the new airport include Kanakapura Road, Mysuru Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspete, and Tumakuru. He also noted that the exclusivity agreement with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which prevents the construction of another airport within a 150-kilometer radius, will expire in 2033. Patil expressed confidence that with the current momentum, the new airport could be operational by then.
"According to norms, before arriving at a decision on the airport's location, we need to consider ecological factors. Besides, connectivity, such as highways, trains, and metro, should also be kept in mind. The aspects of passenger load and facilitating industrial growth also need to be deliberated," Patil said.
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"Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have their second airports at a distance of 35-40 km, and we will consider this as well. Overall, the decision will be taken to facilitate growth and improve the liveability of Bengaluru," he added.
(With inputs from ANI)