Daijiworld Media Network- Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 9: In a significant move towards establishing a second airport for Bengaluru, a high-level team from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Tuesday carried out inspections of two out of three shortlisted locations off Kanakapura Road, situated on the outskirts of the city.
The AAI delegation is scheduled to visit the third proposed site, located off Nelamangala-Kunigal Road, on Wednesday (Apr 9).
Post-inspection, the AAI officials held a detailed discussion with Karnataka’s Infrastructure Development Minister M.B. Patil. During the meeting, a live presentation was given to underline the growing necessity for a second airport in the capital city, especially in light of rising industrial growth and increased civilian air traffic.
Minister Patil assured the visiting team that the state government is fully committed to maintaining transparency in the selection process. “The final decision on the airport location will be made based on the recommendations of the AAI, taking into account Bengaluru’s long-term requirements,” he said.
The AAI team comprised senior officials including GM Vikram Singam, JGM K. Srinivas Rao, AGM Manuj Bharadwaj, and Senior Manager Sachidanand, along with managers Santosh Kumar Bharathi and Amaan Chhipa.
In parallel with the airport site inspections, Minister Patil also held a separate meeting on Tuesday with top airline representatives to discuss the enhancement of air connectivity within Karnataka, particularly from Kalaburagi.
The meeting was attended by RDPR, IT, and BT Minister and Kalaburagi District In-charge Minister Priyank Kharge, along with key airline players including IndiGo, Star Air, Air India, Akash, Alliance Airways, and SpiceJet.
The discussions focused on strengthening intra-state and inter-state flight connectivity from Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Bidar, Hubballi, Belagavi, Vidyanagar (Jindal Township), and the newly readied Vijayapura Airport. Special emphasis was placed on the Kalaburagi-Bengaluru route, which currently operates only three times a week. The ministers appealed to airline operators to enhance the frequency and expand coverage to more cities.
Airline representatives responded positively, expressing willingness to explore new routes and improve existing services.
In a further push to upgrade Karnataka's aviation infrastructure, Minister Patil also directed state officials to propose the upgradation of Hubballi and Belagavi airports to international standards. “Both airports fulfil the basic criteria for international status and handle considerable passenger volume. Currently, travellers from these regions are forced to travel to Goa for international flights. Upgrading them will significantly ease travel for thousands,” he added.