BENGALURU: Although the TN government’s move to build an international airport at Hosur near Bengaluru violates the agreement signed by Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, former bureaucrat K Jairaj, who was instrumental in establishing KIA, said there is a need to review the agreement as air traffic has increased beyond expectations.
“Commercial operations at KIA commenced in 2008. As per the agreement between BIAL and the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, no new airport should be set up within an aerial distance of 150 km of KIA. This agreement holds good till 2033,” Jairaj told TNIE.
“Air traffic is witnessing a big growth year after year. We expected it to grow by around 7%. But its growth has almost touched 15%. Given this significant growth and demand for air travel, the 25-year agreement should be reviewed,” he said. The TN government has announced that it will build the international airport at Hosur, which is around 74 km from KIA. Going by the agreement, BIAL should give the Hosur airport operator a NOC.
Bengaluru is a key Global Capacity Centre (GCC) hub with over 250 GCCs. The city has grown by leaps and bounds. So, BIAL’s business will never be threatened by TN’s international airport at Hosur, though it will come up within the 150-km vicinity of KIA, Jairaj said. With an aim to become a developed nation by 2047 and the third largest economy, India needs more airports and the one proposed at Hosur should be permitted, he said.