The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is expected to present a report to the Karnataka Government in the next two to three days on the choice of location for a second international airport in Bengaluru, Infrastructure Development and Industries Minister M B Patil said on Thursday.
An AAI expert team had examined potential sites for Bengaluru’s second international airport in April. “The AAI is expected to submit its report within the next two to three days. Once the report is received, it will be placed before the Cabinet for discussion before a final decision is taken,” the Karnataka minister M B Patil said.
“There is a possibility that the AAI team may recommend both the sites it inspected,” but airport construction companies would also evaluate the feasibility of the locations, he said. “It’s not that they will build the airport wherever the Government allocates land,” he added.
The Karnataka Government has initiated the process for a second airport in Bengaluru keeping in mind the agreement with the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd, which prohibits the establishment of another airport within a 150-km radius of the existing airport until 2033.
“If we begin the groundwork now, the second international airport will be ready by 2033. A project of this scale typically takes a minimum of five to six years to complete,” Patil said.
Currently, only two cities in India—New Delhi (Noida) and Mumbai (Navi Mumbai)—have two international airports. “We will also consult the companies involved in developing those airports,” the minister said, indicating that the state government is aware of Tamil Nadu’s plans to construct an airport in Hosur on the border of Bengaluru.
On the proposed locations for the second airport in Bengaluru, the minister said MLAs from North Karnataka had suggested Tumkur as a suitable site, while others have recommended South Bengaluru. “However, passenger density, industrial requirements, and several other factors will be taken into consideration. Ultimately, the decision will be made purely on merit, keeping in mind convenience and future demand,” the minister said.
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The state government had earlier shortlisted three sites to address the city’s growing aviation needs. Bengaluru’s increasing industrial growth and the strain on civilian air traffic at Kempegowda International Airport are cited as necessitating a new airport.
The AAI team that conducted inspections of locations included General Manager Vikram Singam, Joint General Manager K Srinivas Rao, Assistant General Manager Manuj Bharadwaj, and senior managers Sach Duranand, Santosh Kumar Bharathi, and Amaan Chhipa.
Three locations shortlisted
The three locations shortlisted by the state for Bengaluru’s second airport are near Chudahalli in the Bengaluru South Taluk, near Somanahalli in the Bengaluru South Taluk, and one near Magadi-Nelamangala in the new Bengaluru South district.
The Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), the nodal agency for the project, has paid Rs 1.21 crore to the AAI for the feasibility assessment.
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The state government assisted the AAI team with revenue maps of the shortlisted sites, 10 years’ worth of meteorological data, detailed geographic assessments, including images of the terrain, survey of India maps, and operational feasibility reports covering both visual flight rules and instrument flight rules.