Karnataka Government Evaluates Six Sites for Bengaluru's Second Airport: Industries Minister M.B. Patil.

The Karnataka government plans to acquire 3,000 to 5,000 acres of land to establish a new international airport comparable in size to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in north Bengaluru. This new airport is projected to handle 100 million passengers per annum, according to Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil.

In response to media queries at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on July 10, Patil stated that the new airport is expected to be operational by 2035. This timeline aligns with the exclusivity clause availed by Bangalore International Airport Limited, which prohibits any other international airport within a 150 km radius until 2035. KIA’s passenger handling capacity is anticipated to reach saturation by 2035, with its cargo handling capacity expected to be saturated by 2040.

The government is evaluating six potential locations for the new airport: Kanakpura Road, Mysore Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspete, and Tumakuru. These sites are within a 60-kilometre range from the existing airport in Devanahalli. A special committee of aviation industry experts will convene soon to assess the suitability of these sites, considering factors such as road, rail, and metro connectivity, minimal population settlements, few water bodies, limited green cover, and non-agricultural land without significant elevation or mountains.

“Things will move in a few months. A plan will be ready in the next three months,” the Minister said.

THE HINDU