Karnataka Plans Second Airport Amid Passenger Surge

Karnataka's Infrastructure Minister M B Patil announced a meeting to finalize the location for a second airport in the city. The government will evaluate passenger load and connectivity to Kempegowda International Airport. The exclusivity clause with the current airport's operator ends in 2032, paving the way for a new airport by 2033.

Karnataka's Infrastructure Minister M B Patil announced on Sunday that a meeting will soon be held to decide the location for a proposed second airport for the city.

The key factors for consideration in the decision-making process will be passenger load and the connectivity to the existing Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), Patil stated.

If passenger load is prioritized, areas such as Sarjapura and Kanakapura Road will be considered. However, if connectivity to the existing airport is prioritized, Tumkur and Dabaspete will be leading options. These options will be discussed in the next departmental meeting and further reviewed with the chief minister before being taken up in the cabinet meeting.

The exclusivity clause with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which restricts another airport within a 150-kilometer radius, will expire in 2032, allowing for potential development of a new airport by 2033.

Given the time required for land acquisition and compensation for landowners, the planning process has already commenced. Major cities like New York and London have multiple airports in close proximity, and in Mumbai, the distance between two airports is 36 kilometers. The Karnataka government is examining if the exclusivity clause with BIAL applies to the Tamil Nadu government's airport project in Hosur.

KIA, the third busiest airport in India after Delhi and Mumbai, handled 37.5 million passengers and over 400,000 tonnes of cargo last year. It is projected to reach peak passenger capacity by 2033 and maximum cargo capacity by 2040.

(With inputs from agencies.)