Pushing for a second airport
Is Bengaluru ready for a second commercial airport? For years, the old HAL Airport has remained shut for civilian operations, as dictated by an agreement with the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL). This deal is still in force, but a new proposal for an entirely new airport has sparked a debate.
Nothing big has changed in the city’s aviation map, not in the immediate past. Despite the pandemic-triggered hiccup, Kempegowda International Airport (KIA)’s second terminal work is well on course, and its second runway is now operational. Why then did the Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) propose a new greenfield airport, and why now?
