JOIN US'Terminal in a Garden' to welcome KIA flyers in a couple of months
Passengers eager to experience the myriad delights of the 'Terminal in a Garden' at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) will have to wait for another couple of months.
Hari Marar, CEO, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), said T2 was in the last leg of preparedness ahead of commercial operations.
And in more good news, T2 will open with domestic operations, according to a BIAL official.
“There are a few more processes to be done; another couple of trials have to be finished and security sweeps need to be conducted. As soon as all these processes are finished, we’ll be able to operationalise the terminal – in roughly another month-and-a-half to two months,” Marar said.
The first phase of the Rs 5,000 crore terminal was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
Speaking with reporters on the sidelines of a media walkthrough at the new terminal, the BIAL CEO said T2 was conceived as a dedication to Bengaluru, incorporating in its design the city’s greenery, its blend of tradition and modernity, and its primacy as a technology hub.
Digi Yatra, the biometric screening implemented at the airport since August 15, will facilitate accurate passenger screening at the new terminal. The airport operator said validation of the passenger’s face as a boarding pass will make security checks hassle-free. The domestic section of T2 will feature four full body scanners.
“There are 90 counters, of which 34 are SBD (self-baggage drop) counters. These measures are in line with the post-pandemic push for contactless travel,” he said.
Marar said the new terminal offered “a host of retail and food and beverage experiences”.
The ‘Terminal in a Garden’ makes extensive use of engineered, fire-retardant bamboo. The solar panels and sky lighting at T2 ensure 24.9% energy savings, BIAL said.