Bengaluru’s Second Airport Is Coming! 3 Locations Shortlisted—Where, What Happens Next?

Bengaluru’s proposed second international airport is moving ahead, with three locations shortlisted for feasibility studies. Here’s where the new airport could come up and what happens next.

Bengaluru (Aug 21): The Karnataka government has shortlisted three potential locations for a second international airport to manage Bengaluru's increasing air traffic. This was announced by M.B. Patil, the Minister for Large and Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development.

The minister provided this information in a written reply to a question from BJP MLA Dr. Shailendra Beldale during the Legislative Assembly session. He explained the current status of the new airport's site survey and construction process.

Which are the 3 shortlisted locations?

The state government has zeroed in on the following three sites:

Somanahalli: Located on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru South district.

Choodahalli: Within the Kanakapura taluk area.

Gudemaranahalli: Situated near the Nelamangala-Kunigal highway.

The minister also added that a survey is underway for a suitable plot near the Harohalli industrial area on Kanakapura Road. The total amount of land required for the project will be determined only after one location is finalised.

Application to Centre, AAI inspection complete

Things are moving fast for this ambitious project. Here are the key steps taken so far:

• Site Clearance Application: An application has been submitted to the Steering Committee of the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to get 'Site Clearance' for the three identified locations.
• AAI Inspection: A team of technical experts from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already completed the site inspection for all three proposed locations.
• Feasibility Report: A Pre-feasibility Study Report for these sites has also been submitted to the government.

What's the next step?

International consultants have been hired to conduct a detailed study of all three locations. They will look into the overall strategy, land availability, connectivity, and technical feasibility.

The final decision on where Bengaluru's second airport will be built will be officially announced only after this expert committee submits its final report.