Second airport for Bengaluru: AAI begins technical inspection of shortlisted sites today | Bengaluru

As Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) inches closer to capacity with every passing year, preparations for a second international airport have taken a significant step forward.

A team from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is set to visit Karnataka this week to inspect three proposed sites for the city’s long-awaited greenfield airport.

According to a report by The Hindu, the AAI team will be in the state between April 7 and 9 to assess the suitability of the shortlisted locations—two along Kanakapura Road and one on the Nelamangala–Kunigal Road.

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The Kanakapura Road sites cover 4,800 and 5,000 acres respectively, while the Nelamangala-Kunigal Road location spans approximately 5,200 acres. The government has assured the Centre that it is prepared to allocate a minimum of 4,500 acres for the project at any of these shortlisted location

The visit includes technical presentations by the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), which is overseeing the project planning, the report added.

During their inspection, AAI officials will review critical factors such as topography, historical weather patterns, existing transport connectivity, and geographical constraints like waterbodies or elevation. The team will also be presented with detailed documents including revenue maps, satellite imagery, and data from the Survey of India.

Speaking to reporters, MB Patil has earlier emphasized the need for a second airport, stating that it is crucial to accommodate increasing passenger numbers and meet commercial demands. “A multidisciplinary team from AAI will visit the sites for the feasibility study. The government has already allocated ₹1.21 crore for this assessment. With the 150-km airport restriction set to expire by 2033, we are accelerating the process,” he said.

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