Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister M B Patil on Wednesday insisted upon the need for a second International Airport near Bengaluru, which will handle at least 100 million passengers annually, and said it would require at least 4,500 acres to 5,000 acres of land to cater to the fastest growing city.

“We will have a meeting with technical experts before moving the proposal to the chief minister and the state cabinet on it. In the next three months you will see things moving in that direction,” Patil, who holds the large and medium Industries and infrastructure development portfolio, told reporters here.

Stating that Bengaluru being the technology and innovation hub has Kempegowda International Airport which is the third busiest airport after Delhi and Mumbai, he said it currently handles 52 million passengers and 0.71 million tonnes of cargo annually.

It would peak to 110 million passengers and 1.10 million tonnes cargo by 2035, he said. “By all accounts, Kempegowda Airport will reach the end of its carrying capacity by 2035. Hence, we need a second international airport."

When he was told about the Tamil Nadu government’s announcement to build an international airport in Hosur, Patil said only after Karnataka announced this project did the neighbouring state start talking about building a new airport in Hosur.

He, however, clarified that Karnataka has no problem with that.

On the possible location of the second airport, the minister pointed out that there should be no hills, rivers/seas or high-rise buildings anywhere around it.

In addition, there should be a good quality state and national highway as well as rail and metro connectivity.

The minister pointed out that the Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which built and operates Kempegowda airport had stipulated that no international airport should be build within a radius of 150 km till 2033.

“If we work immediately, we can develop the new airport by 2033,” he explained.