Terminal 2 positions Bengaluru airport well for the right Indian airline partner to make it an international transfer hub: BIAL CEO Hari Marar

Hari Marar, MD and CEO of the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL)

Bengaluru airport’s new slick and environment friendly Terminal 2 -- the latest buzz in global aviation circles -- was completed in four years including two years impacted by Covid-19. Hari Marar, MD and CEO of the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd (BIAL) says that the commissioning of the new terminal is going to be a game-changer in catering to the growing passenger demand. We are likely to triple our capacity to about 90 million passengers by 2030, he says. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

What were the key aspects – environmental and infrastructure wise – that were kept in mind when the new terminal was at the planning and design stage?

The terminal, designed by the New York-based architectural firm SOM, is a reflection of Bengaluru’s rich history and culture, while also integrating futuristic technological elements for ease of travel. The terminal’s structure was designed keeping two primary goals in mind: to achieve sustainability through structural efficiency, and economy through modularity.

The terminal employs numerous sophisticated sustainable innovations, including extensive solar shading and intelligent building systems, as well as renewable materials. The terminal will capture, treat, and reuse rainwater from across the airport, and the indoor plants and outdoor gardens are designed to only require water that is harvested on-site.

While the interiors made of bamboo and lush gardens contribute to the beauty of the terminal, these are also essential components contributing to the sustainability pillar of T2. The engineered bamboos used for the first time in India, are fire retardant and long-lasting, while the gardens and forest cover naturally cleanse the air.  Solar panels and daylight harvesting results in overall 24.9% energy savings.

Also Read: Inside Bengaluru airport’s swanky new international terminal

How do you foresee the growth of Bengaluru as an aviation magnet with the completion of Terminal 2? Do you see the city becoming an international transfer hub soon?

The commissioning of Terminal 2 is going to be the biggest game-changer to cater to the growing passenger demand. We are likely to triple our capacity to about 90 million passengers by 2030 and accordingly have also been expanding all access roads which lead to the Airport. Metro rail operations from the city to the Airport will likely start in the next few years and work is already in progress.

For any airport, including Bengaluru, to become an international transfer hub, firstly, we would need an Indian airline that has such aspirations. However, that said, the opening of the South Runway and the T2 position us very well to fulfil that ambition along with an Indian airline. Secondly, airports are not normally international transfer hubs until they cross 35-40 million passengers in annual capacity, and we are just reaching that stage of growth.

T2 is today viewed as a design marvel. What are the features that you think will differentiate Bengaluru from many of the airports around the world?

The design of T2 is built around passenger experience. Built on four pillars – ‘Terminal in a Garden’, ‘Technology’, ‘Art and Culture’, and ‘Sustainability’ – the design allows passengers to experience the best of a transfer hub. This will position us well for the right airline partner to build an international transfer hub.

Terminal 2 is created with all sustainability principles woven into its design. Based on these sustainability initiatives, it has been recognised as the largest terminal in the world to be pre-certified with a Platinum LEED rating by USGBC (US Green Building Council) prior to commencing operations.

Can you give us some more details of the ‘Terminal in a Garden’ theme?

T2 is designed to give passengers an experience of walking in a garden. From 10,235 m² of green walls around the terminal, hanging gardens that cascade down from the terminal roof on the bronze veils and bells suspended from the ceiling, the green lagoons within the premises to the extensive forest belt area between the terminal and boarding piers, passengers will experience greenery like never before.

A total of 620 endemic plants, 3,600+ plant species, 150 palm species, 7,700 transplanted trees, 100+ varieties of lilies, 90+ lotus species and 180 rare, endangered, and threatened species and 10 ecological habitats make up the lush green landscape at the airport, around T2. Amidst the hustle and bustle of travel, we hope that Terminal 2 helps in calming the mind of passengers and creates a stress-free environment for them.

Did you study airports like Singapore’s Changi while planning this terminal?

We studied the best practices from airports all around the world and have incorporated the learnings. We have also raised the bar in several areas, in comparison to what is being offered at these airports.

From a technology point of view, what are some of the new initiatives taken for the airport terminal?

There are several unique features on the technology front that makes the airport unique. The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) is the first airport in India to have used Building Information Modelling (BIM) for end-to-end project delivery of the entire Terminal-2. This will facilitate seamless integration of Digital Facilities Management at the time of operation.

The Bengaluru airport is also the first airport in the world that works on Software Defined Network, effectively automating the ICT network equipment deployment and management with in-built security features.

The airport is also entering the all-new world of Metaverse. As the first step, we have developed a virtual airport environment in which a user can explore a section of Terminal 2. Passengers can explore various airport facilities and pre-book services after they experience the virtual world.

Can you elaborate a bit on the structural aspect of the design?

The roof above the check-in and retail halls features long-span steel moment frames that are supported by columns spaced 18 metres apart. The steel columns consist of four individual posts that are clad in bamboo and linked together, creating a feeling of lightness. Throughout the terminal, the structural design accommodates the integration of skylights and hanging planters as well as landscaping at multiple levels.

The base building is composed of a uniform grid of reinforced concrete moment frames, with larger, column-free spaces at the baggage reclaim and arrival halls to greatly improve functionality where foot traffic is highest.

An amount of Rs 5,000 crore has been spent on the terminal. Were you able to stick to the budget as originally planned? Also, we need some frugal airports now, especially in regional centres, as passenger traffic grows.

Yes, a sum of Rs 5,000 crore was spent on the planning, designing and construction of T2. As planned, we were able to complete the project according to the budget.

I think developing frugal airports in regional centres is the need of the hour. India’s growth in civil aviation will come not just from increasing density of traffic on existing routes, but also from connecting new cities, that will enable trade by facilitating movement of people and goods more efficiently. Since they may not be commercially viable to start with, it makes sense to develop frugal airports, which can cater to smaller aircraft and the RCS Udaan scheme (regional connectivity scheme) in the initial stages.

The plan with T2 is to cater to 25 million passengers annually. How did you arrive at this number?

The Bengaluru Airport has grown tremendously in passenger numbers. When we started operations in 2008, during the first year about 9 million passengers travelled through the Airport. When we celebrated the 10^th anniversary in 2018, we had about 27 million passengers that year, with traffic volumes tripling in just 10 years.

The original plan with T2 was to build a terminal that caters to approximately 35 million passengers annually and this project was envisioned to be completed in two phases – first to cater to 20 million passengers and then another 15 million. Between 2015 and 2019 traffic grew exponentially. During this period, given traffic growth and projected demand, we revisited the design for T2 and modified it to serve 45 million passengers annually. Since then, we have also carried out a master plan update, which has planned for an ultimate airport capacity of over 90 million annual passengers.

However, the airport is not one of the busiest terminals in Asia at this point. The busiest terminals in Asia (Beijing Capital T3, Dubai T3 etc) handle well over 65 million passengers annually in a single terminal.