India Pledges Support for Second Bengaluru Airport Post Feasibility Study

The central government has assured the state of Karnataka that it will expedite all necessary permissions for a proposed second airport in Bengaluru once a definitive feasibility report is submitted. The assurance came from Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu during a meeting with Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar in New Delhi.

The development is critical as Bengaluru's existing Kempegowda International Airport (BLR), operated by Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL), is rapidly approaching its capacity limits. According to BIAL's CY2025 Operational Performance Report, the airport handled 43.82 million passengers in 2025, an 8% increase year-over-year. The push for a new facility reflects a broader trend of developing metropolitan multi-airport systems in India, similar to projects underway for Delhi (Noida) and Mumbai (Navi Mumbai).

Feasibility Study and Site Selection

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has already conducted a preliminary examination of three proposed sites: Choodahalli, Somanahalli, and Nelamangala. However, AAI's initial findings flagged significant challenges, including airspace conflicts and difficult, rocky terrain that would incur high leveling costs. The state government, through the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), is now in the final stages of a tender process to appoint a consultancy firm for a more detailed techno-economic feasibility study. This study, which will take approximately five months, will provide the basis for the state's final site recommendation.

"Once the feasibility report is received, the state government will take a final call on the site for the second airport," Shivakumar stated. He added that Minister Naidu has committed to fast-tracking the entire approval process under the Ministry of Civil Aviation's Greenfield Airports (GFA) Policy as soon as the state formalizes its choice. The proposed airport is expected to require between 4,500 and 5,200 acres of land, presenting a significant land acquisition challenge for the selected region.

Urban Growth vs. Aviation Restrictions

A major secondary issue raised during the meeting was the conflict between Bengaluru's urban development goals and stringent aviation safety regulations. Shivakumar highlighted the severe impact of Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) height restrictions, which extend up to a 20 km radius from multiple airfields, including the HAL Airport, the Air Force base at Yelahanka, and Jakkur Airfield.

These restrictions create a direct contradiction in government policy. As Shivakumar noted, while the Union government encourages states to generate revenue by offering premium Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which allows for taller buildings, the aviation height limits render this premium FAR unusable in large parts of the city. This conflict has already forced the relocation of the city's flagship 250m Skydeck project from its originally planned site near Baiyyappanahalli to Kempegowda Layout.

The impact on real estate developers and urban planners is significant, limiting vertical growth and complicating infrastructure planning. Minister Naidu acknowledged the issue and assured the Karnataka delegation that a joint meeting between the Union Ministries of Civil Aviation and Defence would be convened to find a resolution.

Technical Analysis

The situation in Bengaluru exemplifies a growing tension in major Indian metropolitan areas between the need for aviation infrastructure expansion and the demands of rapid urban densification. While the development of a second airport is a logical step to accommodate future air traffic growth, the concurrent conflict over OLS height restrictions reveals a critical gap in integrated planning. The relocation of the Skydeck project underscores the financial and logistical costs of this disconnect. Bengaluru's experience follows a pattern seen in other megacities where legacy aerospace and defense installations create restrictive zones that clash with modern urban planning. The resolution of this issue will set a national precedent for how India's cities can balance vertical growth with non-negotiable aviation safety envelopes.

What Comes Next

The timeline for the second airport project is contingent on several key milestones. The detailed feasibility report from the KSIIDC-appointed consultancy is expected to be submitted by June 2026. Following this, the state government will make its final site recommendation to the central government. Separately, the crucial joint meeting between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Defence to address the height restriction issue is anticipated in April 2026.

Any new commercial airport cannot become operational before 2033, which is when BIAL's contractual exclusivity clause, preventing a competing airport within a 150 km radius, expires. This provides a clear, albeit distant, deadline for the project's planning and construction phases.

Why This Matters

The Centre's conditional approval for a second airport in Bengaluru is a crucial step in securing the long-term aviation capacity for one of India's most vital economic hubs. More broadly, the parallel debate over aviation height restrictions will be a test case for national urban policy. The outcome will determine how India's fastest-growing cities can pursue vertical development while respecting the operational and safety imperatives of their aviation infrastructure.

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