JOIN USIn 3 yrs, you could be hitched at Bengaluru airport
Fancy a grand wedding inside the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) premises? This could be a reality in the near future as the airport operators have proposed to build a massive Concert Arena, big enough to accommodate 9,000 people on a 6.3-acre plot.
But before the wedding plans are made, pause. The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) has only issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to build the Arena. BIAL does not commit to a firm deadline for completion, but it could well be a reality by 2022.
The area allotted for this project is adjacent to the newly-built South Access Road inside the KIA campus. By design, the arena would be a cost-effective, semi-permanent marquee structure.
Once complete, the facility would be the first of its kind for an Indian airport, a BIAL spokesperson told DH. Besides hosting grand weddings, it will be spacious enough to host a wide range of events. This could mean music concerts, award shows, exhibitions and conventions.
The Arena is part of BIAL's plan to make KIA a destination in itself. “This offering is part of a wide range of amenities that will keep both passengers and visitors entertained.” The project is linked to the ongoing Rs 13,000 crore airport expansion.
KIA has emerged as India's third busiest airport since commerical operations began in May 2008. In the financial year 2018-19, a record 33.3 million passengers transited through the airport. Domestic traffic, the main driver of growth, accounted for 28.82 million fliers during the last fiscal.
To cater to this growth, BIAL's expansion plan includes the first-phase construction of a 2,55,000 sqm Terminal 2, an advanced Cat-IIIB Code-F Capable Runway and landside expansion. Widening of the old access road, infrastructure readiness for an Airport Metro line and a multi-modal transport hub are part of this plan.