Karnataka Government Weighs Tumakuru, Bidadi For Bengaluru's New Airport Site

Karnataka's Home Minister, Dr G Parameshwara, said on Thursday (6 February) that the state government would make a final decision regarding the location for Bengaluru's second airport after considering technical evaluations, reported ANI.

He stressed that this decision is a technical matter and does not warrant extensive debate.

Speaking to the media, Parameshwara remarked, "Why should there be a debate on where the airport should be built? Why should the media discuss it? The government will make a final decision--it is a technical matter. The pros and cons will be discussed before making a decision, but there is no need for so much debate."

At present, the government is weighing two possible sites for the new airport: Bidadi and Tumakuru.

While acknowledging that both locations have their own merits, the Minister indicated that Tumakuru is the government’s preferred choice.

He clarified, however, that the advantages of both sites would be taken into consideration.

"Whether it is built in Bidadi or Tumakuru, both locations will have their advantages. Our preference is for Tumakuru, but there is no need to create confusion over it," Parameshwara was quoted as saying by ANI.

The Karnataka government had first recognised the need for a second airport in Bengaluru following a statement by Infrastructure Minister MB Patil in July last year.

The new airport is expected to cater to an annual passenger capacity of 100 million.

Initially, seven sites were identified by the Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Limited (IDeCK) for potential consideration, including Kanakapura Road, Mysuru Road, Magadi, Doddaballapura, Dabaspete, and Tumakuru.

The government aims to complete the second airport by 2033, the year when the exclusivity agreement with Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) expires.

This clause currently prohibits the establishment of another airport within a 150 kilometre radius of the existing facility.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru City Development Minister, D K Shivakumar, had earlier mentioned that M B Patil had engaged in numerous discussions with stakeholders regarding the airport's construction.

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