BENGALURU: On a sprawling 463 acres of land on the premises of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), a multi-billion dollar Smart City, encompassing many worlds including business and entertainment, is getting ready. Though the pandemic had delayed construction of the futuristic Bengaluru Airport City, it has now picked up momentum with the first phase set to be opened in 2025.
Rao Munukutla, Chief Executive Officer, Bengaluru Airport City Ltd -- a wholly owned subsidiary of KIA operator Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), told The New Indian Express, “Our key assets such as concert arena, Retail, Dining and Entertainment (RDE) Village, first business park, a combo hotel with 775 rooms (operated by Ginger, Vivanta), SATS Central Kitchen and lush central park are expected to be completed by 2025. Every two years, one can see new assets getting operational and within 15 to 20 years, we plan to complete most of the Airport City.”
He said, “At the heart of the Airport City are the business parks and technology hubs. These have been designed as best-in-class business destinations, creating an environment of innovation that acts as a magnet for talent as well as the location of choice for employers, investors and businesses of the future.”
SATS Central Kitchen to serve 1.7 lakh meals
They will be seamlessly connected to the RDE Village, designed by DP Architects, Singapore, to be launched soon. The SATS (Singapore Airport Terminal Services Ltd) Central Kitchen will prepare 1.7 lakh ready-to-eat meals per day.
Technology clusters
Advanced technology clusters, including advanced electronics manufacturing, robotics & artificial intelligence, space technology, 3D printing, quantum computing, chip design, digital content, online gaming, online education and agricultural technology are being planned, he said.
“The public realm is the Greenway, a continuous link that ties Metro and various assets of Airport City, allowing employees and visitors to move freely throughout the overall development,” he said. Airport City will serve as a model of transit oriented development hub with the presence of the terminal, roadways, Metro, suburban rail and the proposed hyperloop connectivity. The concert arena designed in technical collaboration with Live Nation USA will be a huge attraction. It can accommodate a crowd of 10,000 and will be equipped with worldclass acoustics.