Karnataka Government Plans New International Airport for Bengaluru

The Karnataka government is evaluating six potential sites for a new international airport to accommodate Bengaluru’s growing air traffic needs. Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil stated that the proposed locations are within a 60-kilometre radius of the current Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Devanahalli.

The new airport aims to be operational by 2035, with a capacity to handle 100 million passengers per year. This timeline aligns with the exclusivity clause held by Bangalore International Airport Limited, which prevents another international airport from being established within 150 kilometres of KIA until 2035.

The government will need to acquire between 3,000 to 5,000 acres of land for the project. The potential sites under consideration include Kanakapura Road, Mysore Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspete, and Tumakuru. A special committee of aviation experts will review these sites, focusing on factors such as road, rail, and metro connectivity, minimal residential settlements, fewer water bodies, limited green cover, and non-agricultural land without significant elevation or mountains.

Minister Patil assured that plans for the new airport will advance in the coming months, with a comprehensive proposal expected within three months.

In response to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s announcement of a new airport in Hosur, adjacent to Bengaluru, Minister Patil expressed confidence that Tamil Nadu’s plans would not impact Karnataka’s project. He also mentioned an upcoming meeting with Union Industries Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy to discuss Karnataka’s industrial development plans.