Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra has urged the state government to consider establishing Bengaluru’s proposed second international airport near Tumakuru instead of Kanakapura, stating that the move would support balanced regional development and reduce pressure on the state capital. 
In an open letter to Chief Minister D K Shivakumar issued in the past week, Vijayendra raised objections to reports suggesting that the airport could come up near Kanakapura, the Chief Minister’s home constituency. He said locating the project near Tumakuru would provide more equitable access to people from different parts of Karnataka and contribute to the development of regions beyond Bengaluru. 
Vijayendra said there is a growing public perception that major infrastructure decisions in the state are increasingly being influenced by real estate interests. According to him, government decisions should be transparent and should reflect the objective of ensuring balanced development across Karnataka. 
The demand comes after Chief Minister D K Shivakumar recently said that Bengaluru’s second international airport, planned to reduce congestion at Kempegowda International Airport, would be located in South Bengaluru. However, he clarified that the government has not yet finalised any specific site. 
Earlier, the Karnataka government had shortlisted three potential locations for the project. These include two sites on Kanakapura Road near Harohalli in South Bengaluru and one site on Kunigal Road in Nelamangala, located west of Bengaluru. The second airport is being planned as passenger traffic at Kempegowda International Airport continues to grow, with the existing airport expanding its capacity through Terminal 2 and long-term infrastructure development. 
In his letter, Vijayendra said that while the proposal for a second international airport is necessary to meet Karnataka’s future aviation requirements, the project should be planned keeping the interests of the entire state in mind rather than a single region. 
He said Bengaluru’s growth should not be treated as the development of Karnataka as a whole. According to him, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the benefits of large infrastructure projects reach North Karnataka, Central Karnataka, Coastal Karnataka, Kalyana Karnataka, Malnad and the Old Mysuru region. 
Vijayendra further pointed out that Bengaluru is already dealing with rising population, severe traffic congestion, drinking water shortages, transportation challenges and environmental stress. He said locating another major infrastructure project around the city could further increase these existing pressures. 
Referring to previous development decisions, he said the state should learn from earlier experiences. He argued that Electronic City was developed close to the Tamil Nadu border instead of being established deeper within Karnataka, resulting in a portion of the economic and industrial benefits extending to the neighbouring state. 
He also referred to the development that followed the establishment of Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli. According to him, most of the economic growth generated by the airport has remained concentrated around Bengaluru. He said that if the airport had instead been built near Tumakuru, it could have accelerated industrial growth across Central and North Karnataka while also reducing population and traffic pressure on Bengaluru. 
Vijayendra maintained that establishing the second airport in and around Tumakuru would better serve Karnataka’s long-term development goals. He highlighted Tumakuru’s national highway connectivity, railway network, industrial base and strategic location, saying these factors would allow the airport to serve people from Central Karnataka, North Karnataka and the Old Mysuru region more effectively. 
He also expressed environmental concerns over the Kanakapura proposal, stating that the area is located close to Bannerghatta National Park, reserved forest land and fertile agricultural areas. According to him, developing a large airport project in such a location may not be appropriate from either an environmental or agricultural perspective. 
The issue also figured prominently during the BJP’s protest rally against the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) project held earlier this week. Vijayendra and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa criticised the reported proposal to locate the airport near Kanakapura. 
Yediyurappa alleged that the airport project was being shifted towards Kanakapura to benefit real estate interests. He said establishing the airport near Tumakuru would serve people in the central and northern districts of Karnataka and noted that a substantial extent of government land is available in the region. He also indicated that the BJP would oppose any move to locate the airport in Kanakapura. 
Vijayendra further pointed out that neighbouring states such as Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra have developed multiple economic and industrial centres outside their capital cities, whereas development in Karnataka has largely remained concentrated in Bengaluru. 
He urged the Chief Minister to consult all Members of the Legislative Assembly before taking a final decision on the airport’s location. According to Vijayendra, such an important infrastructure project should be discussed openly in the Legislative Assembly instead of being decided unilaterally. 
He also said that the views of legislators from the ruling Congress party should be considered, noting that Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has publicly supported locating Bengaluru’s second airport along the Tumakuru Road corridor. Vijayendra cautioned that proceeding without broader political consensus could trigger a controversy similar to the one witnessed during the proposed second Bidadi Township project. 
Source PTI