Karnataka: Bengaluru Airport’s Terminal 2 To Begin Domestic Operations From 15 January

The recently inaugurated Terminal 2 of Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will begin domestic operations on 15 January.

Star Air will run the first flight from Bengaluru to Kalaburagi during the morning time of that day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Terminal 2 of Bengaluru Airport in November 2022.

“We are ready to welcome customers of Star Air at our newly inaugurated Terminal 2, offering a distinctive and enhanced travel experience for the passengers. The new terminal will soon be opening doors to passengers of other airlines as well. This will be done in a phased manner as and when the facilities and processes for smooth transition of airlines from T1 to T2 are completed,” Hari Marar, MD & CEO of Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) told The Indian Express.

Phase-1 of Terminal 2 (T2) of Kempegowda International Airport at Bengaluru was built at a cost of around Rs 5,000 crore.

At present, T2 is spread across a built-up area of 255,661 sqm, with a capacity of handling 25 million passengers every year.

During the second phase, the terminal will be expanded by another 4.41 lakh sqm. After the completion of the second phase of T2, Bengaluru Airport’s capacity would more than double to six crore passengers per annum.

Garden Terminal for Garden City

In Oct 2018, Bengaluru International Airport (BIAL) awarded the contract to L&T’s Buildings & Factories business for construction of the T2 . The contract includes design, procurement, engineering, construction, testing and operations of Terminal 2.

American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) was selected for providing the design of the terminal. It chose a design for the terminal to reflect the ethos of Bengaluru as a garden city.

Billed as the garden terminal, it features trees, small gardens and ponds.

Passageways throughout the terminal will connect the passengers with nature. The ceiling at the entrance, check-in and security area will feature hanging planted bells. The new terminal will also feature a large indoor garden with rammed-earth walls and waterfalls, which will act as a gateway into the densely-landscaped retail area.

The three-storeyed forest belt is set to offer an unique outdoor experience for arriving and departing passengers. It will be well connected to the shopping area. The forest belt will be viewable from all main indoor spaces.