BENGALURU: Stating that the state government is aware of the fact that permission from Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) is required to construct a second international airport within an aerial radius of 150 km from KIA before 2033, Infrastructure Development Minister MB Patil on Friday said the government has initiated preparatory work in this regard well in advance.
Patil was reacting to the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) statement on Thursday that the Centre has not received any proposal from the Karnataka government or any airport developer after Airports Authority of India’s (AAI) pre-feasibility studies on the need for the second airport in the city.
Several critical steps are involved in the establishment of an airport, including site identification, inspections, land acquisition and disbursement of compensation. These processes will take at least six years for completion. BIAL will be approached for its approval only after completion of these processes, he said. Patil said similar conditions have been relaxed in cities such as New Delhi and Navi Mumbai to facilitate the development of second airports. These matters will be addressed appropriately at appropriate time.
Tenders have been invited through Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) to prepare a location suitability report along with a comprehensive technical and financial feasibility study for the second airport in Bengaluru, he reiterated.
On AAI’s inspection of sites at Choodahalli and Somanahalli on Kanakapura Road and near Nelamangala–Kunigal Road, Patil said tenders have been invited by the state government through KSIIDC to conduct location suitability, and technical and financial feasibility studies.
While preparing these reports, factors such as passenger density, potential for industrial and tourism growth, infrastructure availability, rainfall patterns, sewerage, noise pollution and waste management will be taken into consideration. The deadline to submit these reports is five months, he added.