Doubling airport capacity may start by July '09

Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) is moving fast to build a second terminal, the work for which is expected to start by July next year.

This additional unit will be able to handle close to 14 million passengers on a yearly basis, the same as the existing first one.

The cost for the second one is expected to be close to Rs 3,000 crore, around 20 per cent more than the first. It is expected to take three years for completion and will also include the second runway as part of expansion of this airport.

The going may not be as easy for BIAL, as there is stiff resistance for the second runway from the defence aviation. BIAL officials maintained that these issues are being aggressively sorted out and hoped that a solution will be reached pretty soon.

Detailing these expansion plans, Albert Brunner, CEO, BIAL said that the existing terminal will be at full capacity in another 18 months. “Since the second terminal will take three years to complete, we are simultaneously pushing for an express terminal, which will be built on a faster pace of around 15 months to accommodate the increase in capacity,” he noted.

This stripped down terminal will be a bridging one during the time the second one is built and may be used for ‘special purposes’ after the second terminal is ready.

“For example, during Haj season, when the capacity peaks, we can use this special terminal,” said Brunner. This small terminal will be on the eastern side of the existing one while the second unit will be on the west.

The company, of which 76 per cent is owned by private promoters, has built this airport on a 60:40 debt equity ratio and going forward, is looking to reduce the debt element as it looks for fresh equity.

This airport, which on Monday, completed 100 days of operation has so far seen 2.42 million passengers, 29446 aircraft movement, and the handling of 44,357 metric tones of cargo besides seeing a 30 per cent increase in international airlines and air freight carriers into the city.

Brunner claimed that they have been systematically addressing problems such as less of check-in counters, delay in baggage claims, lack of seats for waiting passengers and other amenities.

“We had teething problems which are being settled based on the feedback we get,” he stressed.