Second Airport in Bangalore: A Future Gateway to the World
Bengaluru to get second international airport, officials to work on feasibility
Karnataka: A second international airport in Bangalore might see the light of day soon if proposals by Minister for Large and Medium Industries MB Patil are heeded. The minister said that the project was necessary to meet growing population figures and future fliers in the city. He issued directions to officials to prepare a report on its feasibility.
In a social media platform post recently, MB Patil announced: “New Airport plans on the horizon. I discussed first-level pre-planning with officials about building a new airport to cater to the future requirements of our fast-growing global city. I have directed the authorities to submit a feasibility report for the new airport.”
Addressing Future Growth
The present Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the third busiest in India after Delhi and Mumbai, handled 37.5 million passengers and over 400,000 tonnes of cargo last year. With this enormous pressure that KIA is handling, another airport needs to be established to decongest it besides letting it freely grow. MB Patil said the new airport will serve the needs of future flyers in a rapidly growing city like Bengaluru.
Earlier, Hari Marar, CEO of Kempegowda International Airport, had also favored having an alternative airport in Bangalore. He projected that the airport in Bengaluru is expected to see 92 million passengers annually in the next decade who will board and deboard, thus marking an urgent need for an alternative airport.
Challenges and Considerations
Land acquisition for the new airport is expected to be a considerable challenge. Marar said, “Getting land for an airport in a city like Bengaluru is not an easy job. Focus has to be on better connectivity and mobility considering the years ahead.”
Recent Developments in the Kempegowda International Airport
In November 2022, Kempegowda International Airport opened its second terminal and currently operates with international and a handful of domestic airlines. Terminal 2, said to have been constructed at an approximate cost of Rs 13,000 crores, has a built-up area of around 2.5 lakh sqm in Phase 1. The terminal will undergo expansion in the second phase with an addition of 4.41 lakh sq. m of space.
A second Bangalore airport is a forward-looking project that ensures a continuation of the city’s climb up the international ladder. This would be important to support Bangalore’s future as a significant global hub because of the rapid increase in passenger and cargo handling.
