
BENGALURU: Looking to cater to over 100 million passengers shortly, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is working on its Master Plan to create infrastructure that could cost up to USD 2 billion.
Within the next five years, KIA will see a major expansion of the existing two terminals, apart from earmarking space for creating Terminal 3. Plans include an automated people mover between the terminals.
An official statement from airport operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) said the plan has been approved by its Board recently.
Satyaki Raghunath, Chief Operating Officer (COO), of BIAL, said, "Our goal through the Master Plan update was to make sure we have enough infrastructure on the ground to deal with over 100 million annual passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo, and reserve land and space for that.
The key components of the USD 2 billion expansion over the next five years are Terminal 1 refurbishment, addition of capacity to cater to a further 20 million passengers, and reservation of space for Terminal 3 whenever it is required, to take us beyond 85 to 90 million annual passengers."
The COO said a comprehensive traffic forecast was conducted to assess the potential of the two-runway system.
"Our goal is to accommodate over 100 million passengers, provided we resolve airspace issues and maximise the system's capacity. Achieving this will require collaborative efforts, not only from our team but also from the joint working group involving IAF Yelahanka Airforce Base, HAL and MoCA, as airspace management cannot be addressed in isolation."
If the airport achieves significant growth beyond 85 million annual passengers, then Terminal 3 will be positioned on the eastern side. "So eventually, there will be connectivity with a future automated people mover between the terminals but that will happen only 5-7 years down the line,"Raghunath explained.
The Western Cross taxiway, on which work has begun, will connect the airfield and allow circulation across it. "Presently, we have an Eastern taxiway that connects both the runways. The Western Cross taxiway and associated taxiways will complete our airfield," Satyaki said.
By the next decade, the airport plans to have 230 stands; it now has 140.
Space was being reserved for a future tunnel from the eastern side to make sure that besides Metro connectivity in 2026, there will be a corridor for the Suburban Rail too.
The airport was targeting completion of the project within five years, he added.