Bengaluru's second airport to be as large as Kempegowda international airport, says minister Patil

The second international airport that is being planned for Bengaluru will be as large as the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and would require about 4500-5000 acres of land, Industry & Infrastructure Minister MB Patil said on Wednesday.

The KempeGowda International Airport, operated by the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has been the third busiest airport in the country after Delhi and Mumbai. The airport recorded the highest-ever passenger traffic with 37.5 million travelers in the year 2023-24 and handled 439,524 metric tonnes of cargo.

The international airport will reach its peak passenger and cargo load capacity by 2035, and the state government has to plan a second airport well ahead of time, the minister told a media conference.


In 1999, when the project was awarded to the Siemens-led consortium, the contract term stipulated that the union government cannot allow a second airport within a radius of 150 kilometers till 2033. With nine years to go for the clause to cease, it was time for the government to begin planning a second airport for the fast-expanding city, the minister said.

Considering that land acquisition and compensation for landowners take a significant amount of time, Patil has stressed the need to begin work on the second airport immediately.

On the Tamil Nadu government's decision to build an airport at Hosur, he said it would not come in the way of Karnataka pursuing its plans.

An expert committee would consider a host of factors before suggesting a location to the government. The new airport would also have to be closer to industrial hubs. The Minister stated that the government now has a few options regarding probable sites, such as Kanakapura Road, Mysuru Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspet, and Tumakuru.

"Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have their second airports within a distance of 35-40 km, and we will consider this as well. Overall, the decision will be taken to facilitate growth and improve the livability in Bengaluru," Patil said.

OVERSEAS INVESTMENTS:
The state's delegation to Japan and South Korea has secured investment commitments worth Rs 6450 crore from six major companies, promising 1000 jobs, the minister said.

The delegation held talks with Renesas Electronics Corporation, Toyota Motor Corporation, Samsung Electronics, LG Energy Solutions, Yamaha Motor Company, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Panasonic Energy, Nidec Corporation, Nissan Motor Corporation, Brother Industries, Shimadzu Corporation, and Hitachi in Japan. In South Korea, the delegation met with Samsung Electronics, LG Energy Solutions, LX Electronics, NIFCO Korea, OCI Holdings, Krafton, HYAC, Hyundai Motors, YG-1, and Hyosung Advanced Materials Osaka Gas has offered to expand its gas distribution infrastructure in Karnataka with an investment of Rs 5000 crore over the next five years.

DN Solutions has signed up offering to invest Rs 1000 crore in a manufacturing facility for precision tools and automation systems.