Industries Minister M.B. Patil.
| Photo Credit: P.K. Badiger
Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil on December 19 said that the State government is aware that permission from Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), the operator of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), is required to construct Bengaluru’s second international airport and that the relevant condition remains valid until 2033.
He said that keeping this in mind and adopting a long-term perspective, the State government has initiated preparatory work well in advance.
Mr. Patil was responding to a question raised during the recent Assembly session regarding the proposed second international airport for Bengaluru.
At the time of commissioning KIA, a condition was imposed prohibiting the development of another airport within a 150-km radius until 2033.
Conditions relaxed
“However, similar conditions have been relaxed in cities such as New Delhi and Navi Mumbai to facilitate the development of second airports. This matter will be addressed appropriately at the appropriate time,” he said.
Mr. Patil said that several critical steps are involved in establishing an airport, including site identification, inspections, land acquisition and disbursement of compensation.
“Completing these processes alone would take at least five to six years. Approval from BIAL would be required only after these stages are completed. Therefore, tenders have been invited through the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC) to prepare a location suitability report along with a comprehensive technical and financial feasibility study,” he said.
He added that five months will be given for submission of the report to the government.
High-level team
A high-level team from the Airports Authority of India had earlier inspected the sites at Choodahalli and Somanahalli on Kanakapura Road, as well as another location on the Nelamangala–Kunigal Road, and submitted its report to the government.
“Based on this assessment, the tenders have now been invited,” Mr. Patil added.
On December 18, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, replying to a question by P.C. Mohan, Bengaluru Central MP, on whether the Centre has received any proposal for a second airport for Bengaluru city and whether the reopening of HAL Airport or developing a second airport would require any modification of the existing concession agreement with KIA, had said, “The pre-feasibility study report has been sent to the Karnataka government. The Government of India has not received any proposal thereafter under Green Field Airport Policy either from Karnataka Government or any airport developer for development of a second Greenfield Airport near Bengaluru.”
He further added that at the time of commissioning KIA, a condition was imposed prohibiting the development of another airport within a 150-km radius until 2033.
Published – December 19, 2025 11:29 pm IST
