‘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.

Published on: Jul 11, 2024, 13:28:35 IST

By Yamini C S

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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.

Bengaluru's second airport will require a land area of approximately 4,500 to 5,000 acres. (PTI Photo/For representation only)

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.

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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)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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