A technical team from the Airport Authority of India (AAI) are in Bengaluru for a pre-feasibility survey of the three sites proposed by the state government for a second international airport in Bengaluru. However, the ruling Congress is divided over the location of the proposed airport as a group of 42 legislators led by local MLA T.B. Jayachandra has petitioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to consider Sira in Tumkur district for the project.
During the two-day visit, the AAI team inspected the proposed sites at Chudahalli and Somanahalli on Kanakapura Road and one on the Nelamangala-Kunigal Road. They held a meeting chaired by state Infrastructure minister M.B. Patil, where the state government made presentations on the proposed sites’ terrain, 10-year weather reports, road, rail and metro connectivity and their proximity to Bengaluru.
With Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli getting saturated, and the exclusivity clause with Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) barring the establishment of another airport within a 150-km radius ending in 2032, the state capital is hoping to pave the way for a second airport by 2033.
The Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation paid Rs 1.21 crore to the AAI to carry out the feasibility study as it hopes to fast-track the project in view of Tamil Nadu’s plan to set up an international airport in Hosur, close to the IT corridor of Karnataka.
Patil had earlier stated that the new airport would have the capacity to handle up to 100 million passengers annually and would require 4,500 to 5,000 acres of land. He also stressed that the proposed site should be within 50 km from the city centre. While Kunigal and Kanakapura sites are within 50 km, Sira is 120 km from the state capital.
The tug-of-war for the new airport started as soon as the government started scouting for land, last year. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is keen to have the airport at Kanakapura, his constituency. However, Home Minister G Parameshwara had urged Patil to consider Tumakuru and also suggested two sites - 3,000 acres off NH-48 near Vasantha Narasapura Industrial Area, and 4,000-5,000 acres near Seebi temple in Sira taluk.
This time, Jayachandra, who is also a special envoy of the Karnataka government in Delhi, submitted a memorandum to the chief minister elaborating on the suitability of Sira for the project. The MLAs asked the CM to go by expert evaluation and not yield to political pressure.
“The proposed land is 5,000 acres and is close to HAL’s helicopter factory and DRDO facility at Challakere. Also, there is a perennial source of water – the Hemavathi and Bhadra rivers and the Yettinahole project. An international airport in Sira would benefit the central and north Karnataka districts,” said Jayachandra.
Meanwhile, Patil ruled out Sira stating that the proposal was for a second airport in Bengaluru and it did not make sense to have it far away from the city. “The investors too would not be interested if the airport is not financially and logistically feasible,” said Patil.
The Kempegowda airport which is serving 75 domestic and 30 international destinations, was elevated to the status of a ‘large airport’ globally, after it crossed the 40 million passengers per annum (MPPA) last year. The domestic passenger traffic touched 36.05 million, international passengers 5.83 million and cargo volume of 496,227 metric tonnes.
