Bengaluru Second Airport: Karnataka Minister Holds Meeting - PTI

Bengaluru, Jun 20 (PTI) With Bengaluru growing rapidly as a metropolitan city, Karnataka Minister for Infrastructure Development M B Patil on Thursday held a meeting with officials regarding the construction of a second airport for the city.

During the meeting attended by Manjula, the Secretary of the Infrastructure Development Department, Patil directed the preparation of a feasibility report for the new airport, the Minister's office said in a release.
Noting that Bengaluru International Airport is the third busiest airport in the country, following Delhi and Mumbai, the Ministry said last year the airport handled 37.5 million passengers and over 400,000 tonnes of cargo.
He emphasised the need for a second airport to efficiently manage the expected increase in both passenger traffic and freight in the coming years, the release said.
When the Devanahalli airport was established, the contract terms stipulated that no other airport could be established within a 150-kilometer radius until 2033.
With nine years remaining under the agreement, the Minister highlighted the need to start preparations now.
Patil explained that the current airport is projected to reach its peak passenger handling capacity by 2033 and its maximum cargo handling capacity by 2040.
Considering that land acquisition and compensation for landowners take a significant amount of time, Patil underscored the necessity of beginning work on the second airport immediately.
He also emphasised the importance of second airport in order to develop an industrial ecosystem beyond Bengaluru.