Bengaluru Airport: BIAL Reveals Comprehensive Master Plan For T1 Upgrade And T3 Construction By 2030

Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), the operator of Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), is gearing up to unveil its master plan, outlining the revamp of Terminal 1, the completion of Terminal 2's phase 2, and the construction of Terminal 3 in the early 2030s.

Satyaki Raghunath, BIAL's Chief Operating Officer (COO), shared that the master plan, subject to a reevaluation every five years, will commence with the refurbishment of T1. This includes reconfiguring security and baggage systems, among other mechanisms.

Raghunath stated, "T1 will undergo refurbishment in the coming months to accommodate 35 million passengers. This entails transforming international areas into domestic zones and upgrading baggage, security, and other facilities." The subsequent phase involves completing the second phase of T2, set to serve an additional 20 million passengers upon completion.

As part of the newly initiated master plan, the location for Terminal 3 will be identified in the late 2020s or early 2030s, dependent on traffic growth. Currently, KIA handles 1,05,000 passengers daily, with 90,000-95,000 being domestic passengers.

Terminal 1 manages 70,000 passengers daily, while Terminal 2 caters to 40,000 passengers daily.

T2, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2022, seamlessly transitioned international operations from T1 in September.

The first phase of T2 was constructed at a total expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore.

It currently accommodates nearly 15,000 international passengers daily and is equipped for 25 million passengers annually with the completion of phase 1.

Phase 2, upon completion, will add capacity for an additional 20 million passengers annually.

Raghunath projected that KIA will cater to approximately 35 million passengers by December 2023, prompting the need for Terminal 3 to meet the rising demand for domestic travel.

BIAL sees Bengaluru airport as the 'natural gateway' for South India, with significant growth stemming from tier 2 and tier 3 cities within a 75-minute travel time.

Amid discussions of a potential second airport on Tumkur Road, Raghunath confirmed that BIAL would bid for the management if the proposal materialises, considering KIA's structural capacity is expected to reach 92 million passengers by 2032-33, reports Indian Express.

In terms of infrastructure enhancements, a 'Garden Pavilion' premium lounge featuring diverse flora and fauna will be introduced in T2.

Additionally, plans are underway to connect T1, T2, and eventually T3 with a rail system for seamless passenger movement, replacing the current shuttle bus service operating every 7-8 minutes between T1 and T2.