AAI Inspects Potential Sites for Bengaluru's Second Airport

In a key step towards establishing Bengaluru’s second airport, senior officials from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Tuesday inspected two of the three shortlisted sites located off Kanakapura Road. The site visits were followed by a meeting with Karnataka’s Infrastructure Development Minister, M.B. Patil, to review progress and discuss the next steps.

The inspections come amid growing competition between the Kanakapura and Nelamangala sites. Minister Patil stated that the state government will finalise the location based on Bengaluru’s specific needs, guided by AAI’s report and recommendations.

The push for a second airport comes as Kempegowda International Airport continues to witness strong passenger growth. In FY25 so far, the airport has handled over 41 million passengers, marking an 11.6% year-on-year increase. Notably, international passenger traffic surged by 25%, underscoring the urgent need to expand the city’s aviation infrastructure.