BIAL chasing 2nd airport after being denied a 3rd runway

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) managing director Hari Marar’s appeal on Wednesday, asking the government to fast-track the process of establishing a second airport for Bengaluru came after the government turned down a proposal for a third runway at Kempegowda, sources aware of the matter informed DH.

Marar reasoned that this was necessary as the two terminals at Kempegowda will reach their structural capacity, estimated to be around 92 million, by 2032-33.  

“The efforts to identify the land and notify the land should ideally have started two years ago. Because that is the amount of timeline it takes to make sure we do not choke our own potential by not having connectivity,” Marar elaborated.

Interestingly, a 2020 report by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) to the state government had proposed a second airport taking into consideration the future economic growth patterns. The proposal also included setting up the second airport in South Bengaluru between Bengaluru and Mysore, preferably in Ramanagara, to capture the massive air cargo opportunity on the back of the high concentration of major industries and infrastructure facilities in the region. The BCIC projected Rs 1,930 crore investment along with Rs 1,500 crore for phased expansion for the same. 

T2 design

“The second airport is not only critical to break the monopoly but is required for the continued growth of the city, decongestion and inclusive development,” the report said. 

BCIC had then urged the state government to move early on the project to address challenges of land acquisition and development, environmental issues, and road and rail connectivity.

Bengaluru contributes the highest (close to 40%) to the gross state domestic product of Karnataka state and the 30 districts in south and south-west Bengaluru (catchment area for the proposed airport), as per the report, have a combined industrial and services share of 72.4%.

The newly inaugurated of Terminal 2 in Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on Saturday. DH Photo by B K Janardhan

“A second airport will not just cater to the growing number of passengers but also air cargo,” said Devesh Agarwal, Devesh Agarwal, chief analyst at Bangalore Aviation and past president at BCIC, adding that Bengaluru’s heavy freight and air cargo is making significant business. 

Earlier in June this year, Karnataka’s Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil had announced that the government is considering a second airport for Bengaluru in order to resolve connectivity issues. 

There has been a long-standing demand to revive the city’s old Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport too for passenger convenience. The HAL airport, located in the city centre, was shut down in 2008 when the Kempegowda airport started functioning in Devanahalli on the outskirts of the city. Currently, the HAL airport is only used for military, chartered and VIP flights.

BIAL refused to comment on DH’s queries on the matter.