Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced on 27 June 2024 his ambitious plans to establish an international airport in Hosur.
TN CM MK Stalin has announced plans to build a new international airport in Hosur spread across 2,000 acres with a capacity to handle 3 crore passengers per year.https://t.co/QlQqtjKA5a
— Akshita Nandagopal (@Akshita_N) June 27, 2024
He emphasized the project’s economic and social importance, citing its potential to handle around three crore passengers annually and its role in supporting the economic development of Hosur, Krishnagiri, and Dharmapuri.
It later came to light that this plan can face significant hurdles due to existing guidelines prohibiting the operation of new airports within a 150-kilometer radius of Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) until 2033.
At the Parliament, ADMK MP CV Shanmugam asked about the greenfield airport at Hosur. He said, “Chairman sir, I would like to know if the Government of India would consider setting up a greenfield airport at Hosur”. Responding to this, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said, “Regarding the Hosur Airport, whenever a greenfield airport has to be constructed, the proposal comes from the State itself. We have also mentioned in the answer that no proposal has been received from the state government.”
While DMK created a big noise about Hossur Airport, Civil Aviation Minister confirms that there is no such proposal came from state government.
Empty vessels makes noise and DMK govt does nothing productive except making tall promises.pic.twitter.com/Ti53mmtlna
— Selva Kumar (@Selvakumar_IN) July 23, 2024
Despite all the noise the DMK government has made regarding the greenfield airport, they have not even sent the proposal to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
Why Is The Hosur Airport Not Feasible?
The agreement between the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), signed on 5 July 2004, explicitly restricts developing, improving, or upgrading new or existing airports within 150 kilometres of KIA. This restriction remains in place until the 25th anniversary of KIA, which began operations in May 2008. The agreement grants BIAL exclusive rights to handle domestic flights, with exceptions made only for Mysuru and Hassan airports.
The agreement states: “No new or existing airport shall be permitted by GoI to be developed as, or improved or upgraded into, an international airport within an aerial distance of 150 kilometres of the airport before the twenty-fifth anniversary of the airport opening date.”
The proposed airport at Hosur, located just 74 kilometres from KIA, clearly falls within the restricted radius. Consequently, any attempt to develop a commercial airport in Hosur would require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from BIAL, which has a track record of refusing such permissions. BIAL has previously denied permission for commercial flights to operate from HAL Airport on Old Airport Road in Bengaluru, citing the same agreement. Aviation experts have criticized the viability of the Hosur airport, pointing out that poor infrastructure, in terms of road and rail connectivity, would deter airlines from operating there. It is argued that investing in such a project would be imprudent without proper planning and accountability.
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