Bengaluru: The state govt on Wednesday deferred a final decision on the location of Bengaluru’s proposed second airport, deciding to await a comprehensive technical feasibility report before sending its proposal to the Airports Authority of India (AAI).Reviewing the project’s progress, chief minister DK Shivakumar also asked the infrastructure development department (IDD) to examine Harohalli as a fourth potential site, citing concerns over land acquisition costs and village displacement. The proposal will be evaluated alongside the three shortlisted locations before the govt takes a final call.Shivakumar said the site would be selected based on technical feasibility, social impact and the cost of land acquisition. The state has engaged a Singapore-based consultancy to carry out the technical assessment, while KPMG is conducting the financial study. The project is expected to require around 3,500 acres of land. Shivakumar directed officials to minimise displacement and keep acquisition costs under control.“The location is being finalised with the consideration that villages should not be shifted as much as possible. If there are a few houses in between the land parcels then we will consider giving them compensation and shifting them. But as much as possible we do not want to shift entire villages,” he said.The three shortlisted sites are Nelamangala, Somanahalli and Chudahalli. Officials said Somanahalli and Chudahalli, located south of Bengaluru along the Kanakapura or Bannerghatta corridor, are emerging as stronger contenders as they could ease traffic pressure on the city’s northern corridor.“The meeting, however, was inconclusive, with the CM deciding to wait for the technical feasibility report before finalising the location to be sent to the Airports Authority of India for its approval,” an IDD official said. Once the site is finalised, the proposal will be forwarded to AAI for approval.
