Tenders invited to conduct feasibility study for second airport for Bengaluru: Minister
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation has invited tenders to select an expert consultancy firm to prepare a location suitability and comprehensive technical and financial feasibility report for the proposed second international airport for the State capital.
The last date for submission of applications is January 12, 2026, Infrastructure Development Minister M B Patil said on Saturday.
According to a statement issued by the minister's office, Patil said the state government has identified sites at Choodahalli and Somanahalli on Kanakapura Road, along with another location near Nelamangala, for the proposed airport.
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A high-level team from the Airports Authority of India has inspected these locations and submitted a preliminary report, he said.
"The consultancy firm selected through the tender process will be required to submit a detailed technical and financial feasibility report to the Government within five months," he added.
The minister said that firms that have executed projects worth at least Rs 250 crore annually over the past five years, and have handled or prepared consultancy reports for a minimum of five projects in the relevant sector, will be eligible to participate in the tender.
"The selected consultancy firm will study parameters such as rainfall patterns, topography, availability of power, water supply, sewerage and waste management infrastructure, surrounding population, regional development, and noise pollution likely to arise from airport operations at all three identified locations," he said.
Patil noted that the feasibility report must also include details of the estimated cost of developing the proposed airport, the extent of land required, and approvals to be obtained from various authorities, including the Ministry of Defence and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The report will also assess the impact of a new airport on industries, tourism and public mobility in the region, he said.
Patil said that the consultancy firm will further examine existing connectivity to the proposed sites and the infrastructure that would need to be developed after the airport is constructed. In addition, cargo handling and passenger services, along with their economic viability, will be studied.
Based on a comprehensive assessment of all three locations, the firm will submit its recommendation on the most suitable site for the second airport, he explained.
Patil said Kempegowda International Airport currently ranks second in the country in terms of passenger density. By 2033, the State will require another airport, and efforts have therefore been initiated well in advance with a forward-looking approach.
Once the feasibility report is received, the Government will decide on the next course of action, he added.
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Bombay HC to form high-powered committee on Mumbai air pollution
Mumbai (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Thursday said it would form a high-powered committee to oversee the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in the Mumbai region, noting that the efforts taken so far by state and civic authorities are insufficient.
It was not criticizing anyone but wanted to ensure that "people should live in pure air," said a division bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar.
The HC had in October 2023 taken suo motu cognizance of the rising pollution in the metropolis "which was ranging between good, satisfactory, moderate poor, very poor and severe", the bench noted.
Directions were issued by the court on November 6, 2023, and suggestions were made for short-term, mid-term and long-term measures.
Since then, the HC has made observations expressing dissatisfaction about the steps taken by the Mumbai and Navi Mumbai civic bodies, the judges said.
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is simply "sailing on its affidavits," but the steps purportedly taken by it were not sufficient, the court stated.
Air pollution in Mumbai has not decreased, in fact it was reported to be very severe in December, said the judges.
"We have apprised ourselves of the previous orders, and find that compliances so far made by (municipal) corporations and MPCB are not sufficient and satisfactory," the court said.
The authorities might have taken serious steps but their results were not visible, it added.
The court expressed inability to examine all the affidavits filed by the municipal corporations and MPCB and reports submitted by an expert committee (formed in 2023), citing the "rising number of dockets and limited hours and time."
After hearing all the parties at length, the high court decided to form a high-powered committee led by a former Supreme Court judge to monitor the compliance of measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai and the surrounding areas.
The committee should meet on a daily basis, the court said, adding that its members should be provided necessary facilities.
The bench also referred to a suggestion that the citizens affected by pollution should be compensated.
The lawyer for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation said there are existing statutory bodies to look into this aspect.
"Maybe there are statutory bodies formed in Maharashtra, but then we have not come across any suggestion or action taken by such a body in the present proceedings..." the court said, adding that it was inclined to give "some powers" to the committee.
The court is expected to finalize the names of the committee members in its written order.
