The much-anticipated proposal to build another international airport at Bengaluru has been delayed significantly, with the project not yet getting into the planning stage, and the Karnataka government has not taken formal proposals to the AAI for the project. Despite repeated conversations and feasibility studies, no concrete plan for the development of the airport has been made by the government.
The need for a second airport has increased with Bengaluru's rapid urban growth and the growth of air passenger traffic. But administrative and policy problems and disagreements over the location have hampered the project's progress.
According to officials, AAI had already done pre-feasibility studies at three proposed locations at the request of the Karnataka government. The findings were sent to the state several months ago, but no official proposal has been brought forward since then.
Four Major Reasons behind the Delay
1. Proposal is yet to reach the Centre
The biggest hurdle is the lack of any official proposal from the Karnataka government. There have been various locations discussed in the past, such as near Kanakapura, Nelamangala, and Sira. But the government has not finalised a site or submitted the mandatory proposal under the Greenfield Airports Policy. There are also reports of differences of opinion within the state government, and this has resulted in the delay.
2. Existing Airport Still Has Expansion Capacity
Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli has the capacity to accommodate about 51.5 million passengers annually. With the planned expansion of Terminal 2, the airport is expected to serve nearly 80 million passengers per year by 2030. This expansion plan has made it less urgent to approve a second airport immediately.
3. Concession Agreement
Another important factor is the concession agreement governing Kempegowda International Airport. Under the agreement, no new commercial airport can operate within 150 km of the existing airport until the exclusivity period ends. Since developing a new international airport typically takes five to six years, delays in starting the process could push the project even further into the future.
4. Final Location Still to be Decided
Although AAI's feasibility study found a number of suitable sites for a greenfield airport, including Kanakapura Road and Kunigal, the Karnataka government has not yet made a final decision on the preferred site. The lack of consensus has become another major obstacle to progress on the project.
Great demand for a second airport
Bengaluru has become one of India’s fastest-growing aviation hubs, with increasing domestic and international passenger traffic each year. Planning for a second airport is important if the city is to have long-term infrastructure and support future economic growth, industry experts say.
However, unless the state government finalises the location and submits the proposal to the Centre, the project is unlikely to move into the approval and construction phases.
The second Bengaluru international airport still exists only as a vision on paper, with residents, businesses, and the aviation sector waiting for the project to get off the ground.
