Want second international airport for Bengaluru by 2035: Karnataka Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Infrastructure Minister M B Patil on Tuesday said the state government wants the second international airport for Bengaluru by 2035 when the existing Kempegowda International Airport in North Bengaluru will touch its peak in terms of number of passengers and cargo freight.

He said the new airport should be within 50 to 60 km distance from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

"We don't have plans for an airport at Tumakuru and Chitradurga but we are thinking of a second international airport for Bengaluru. KIA will touch its peak of 110 million passengers and 1.10 million tonnes in cargo by 2035," Patil said in the Legislative Council during question hour.

Noting that there should be another international airport for Bengaluru, the Minister said the state government has to plan it in advance.

According to him, the Bangalore International Airport Limited, which manages the KIA, has an exclusivity clause which says that there should not be another airport till 2033.

Officials said the exclusivity clause also says that the second airport should not be allowed within 125 km radius of KIA.

"If we start the land acquisition process now, it will need another seven to eight years to complete it," he pointed out.

Patil said he already had a meeting with the officials and experts. Executives of the consulting agency Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Limited (iDeCK), who took part in the meeting, proposed seven to eight locations.

However, the government has not zeroed in on any location.

Regarding the parameters for a second airport for Bengaluru, the Minister said, "What we are thinking today is whether the new airport should have connectivity with KIA in North Bengaluru or passenger load factor should be taken into account." He said the officials were weighing options as to whether it should be near Dobbespet or Tumakuru.

The second parameter will be that the second airport should be developed strictly on merit so that it benefits Bengaluru and Karnataka.

"I too have lots of pressure. People want it in Tumakuru and other places but we want to have it in a place that can help us in the long term," Patil said.

"If it is far away then it will cause us problems. The second international airport should be within a 50 to 60 km radius," he explained.

According to government officials, the government would require at least 4,500 acres to 5,000 acres for the second international airport for Bengaluru.