Bengaluru airport likely to get automated people mover for seamless transfers between terminals

In Bengaluru, T1 and T2 are located within the same airport campus, around 600 meters apart with shuttle bus services currently provided between the two terminals

To enhance the smooth transition of air passengers between terminals, Bengaluru International Airport Limited (BIAL) plans to introduce an Automated People Mover (APM) for seamless transfers between terminals.

BIAL is now working on a comprehensive master plan for the entire airport campus, which includes the construction of a third terminal (T3), APM and others, within the next 12-14 months.

Speaking during the T2 international terminal walkthrough on November 30, BIAL Chief Operating Officer Satyaki Raghunath said, "We are also including in the master plan an Automated People Mover (APM) system, similar to a train, that will connect T1 and T2 and will extend to T3 when it is ready."

APM systems are already operational in airports like Los Angeles (USA), Shenzhen (China), Cairo (Egypt), Munich (Germany), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Changi (Singapore), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), facilitating seamless connections between terminals.

In Bengaluru, T1 and T2 are located within the same airport campus, around 600 meters apart with shuttle bus services currently provided between the two terminals.

"We will begin planning for it in this master plan, but execution will likely happen once we surpass 50 million passengers because such an investment requires the right passenger numbers connected between terminals," he added. Presently, KIA handles under 35 million passengers annually and is expected to serve under 40 million passengers this financial year.

Raghunath outlined the first phase of T2's capacity as 25 million passengers (10 million international and 15 million domestic) over 2,55,000 sqm. The second phase, adding approximately 200,000 sqm over the next few years, will contribute an additional 20 million in capacity. Overall, when both phases are complete, T2 is expected to accommodate about 45 million passengers. Terminal 1 is set to undergo refurbishment in the next 12-18 months, with phase two work on T2 to follow, he said.

Airport master plan

Regarding the airport's master plan, Raghunath said that it would be prepared within 12-14 months. "Most airports globally undergo a master plan every four to five years to ensure facilities align with the next phase of development and market demand changes. Our last master plan was in 2018-2019," he said.

The plan will define T3's requirements, potential location, and other factors based on forecasts. However, T3 construction is anticipated in the late 2020s or early 2030s, depending on traffic growth.

On reopening the old HAL Airport, Raghunath said BIAL's readiness but highlighted the need for consensus among multiple stakeholders, including the Karnataka government, AAI, HAL, and others. The existing contractual agreement prohibits commercial flights within a 150 km radius of KIA until 2033.

Responding to a query on the state government's plans for a new airport, he stated that the capacity of KIA would be exhausted by the early 2030s with only two runways. "We will run out of capacity by the early 2030s because we currently only have two runways, and the aviation market in Bengaluru needs to expand beyond this limitation. Therefore, we must explore additional space, whether it is along Tumakuru Road, Mysuru Road, or Hosur Road," the BIAL Chief Operating Officer added.

Raghunath emphasised the current connectivity of Bengaluru airport to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, with a significant daily passenger volume in Terminals 1 and 2.

He noted that the airport handles 70,000 passengers a day in Terminal 1 and 40,000- 45,000 passengers a day in T2, with growth primarily driven by tier-two and tier-three cities.

"The importance of air travel, especially for quick connections to various points across South India, has become evident, with 75 domestic destinations from Bengaluru airport, including 25 reachable within 75 minutes of flight time," he said.