-By ArdorComm News Network
July 11, 2024
The Karnataka government is exploring six potential locations for a new international airport to be built within 60 kilometers of the existing Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Devanahalli. This new airport is aimed to be as large as KIA and capable of handling 100 million passengers per annum. The identified locations include Kanakpura Road, Mysore Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspete, and Tumakuru.
Land Acquisition and Capacity
Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil stated that the government will need to acquire 3,000 to 5,000 acres of land for the new airport. The project aligns with the exclusivity clause availed by Bangalore International Airport Limited, which stipulates that no international airport should be allowed within a 150 km radius of KIA until 2035. The new airport is expected to be operational by 2035, by which time KIA’s passenger handling capacity is anticipated to be saturated. The cargo handling capacity at KIA is expected to reach its limit by 2040.
Selection Criteria
A special committee comprising aviation industry experts will soon meet to evaluate the proposed sites. The selection criteria include good road, rail, and metro connectivity, minimal population settlements, few water bodies, low green cover, and non-agricultural land without significant elevation or mountains.
Minister’s Statement
Minister M.B. Patil, responding to media queries at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on July 10, mentioned that a plan for the new airport will be ready within the next three months. “Things will move in a few months. A plan will be ready in the next three months,” he said.
Response to Tamil Nadu’s Plans
Regarding Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s announcement to set up an airport in Hosur, which is adjacent to Bengaluru, Minister Patil noted that Tamil Nadu’s decision came after Karnataka’s announcement of a second international airport. He assured that Tamil Nadu’s plans would not affect Karnataka’s project.
Future Discussions
Minister Patil also mentioned plans to meet with Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to discuss the state’s industrial development plans, further emphasizing the importance of the new airport for Karnataka’s infrastructure and economic growth.