TN fast-tracks Hosur airport plan as Karnataka looks for 2nd hub

CHENNAI: The long-awaited Hosur Greenfield International airport is edging closer to reality, as the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) formally issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for consultants to prepare the comprehensive Detailed Techno-Economic Report (DTER).

The move comes weeks after the state government submitted a site-clearance application to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

According to the tender notice, the consultant will be responsible for preparing the DTER, master plan and financial model; reviewing Obstacle Limitation Surface survey data; forecasting air traffic; and conducting environmental and social impact assessments, a clear signal of serious intent from the state.

The proposed airport will be built on roughly 2,200–2,300 acres of land in the Berigai-Bagalur belt of Krishnagiri district, within Shoolagiri Taluk. The site was identified after a feasibility survey by the Airports Authority of India found this location more suitable than alternatives such as the old private airstrip at Belagondapalli.

The airport is designed to handle approximately 30 million passengers annually, with a single runway, dual parallel taxiways, and facilities capable of accommodating large aircraft (Code 4E) with precision approach (CAT-III) to ensure operation even under low visibility, marking it a potentially world-class facility.

Beyond passenger traffic, the airport is envisioned as a catalyst for industrial and logistics growth. Officials have flagged the possibility of developing an ‘aerotropolis’, a fully integrated cargo, warehousing, industrial and residential ecosystem around the airport, to leverage Hosur’s thriving manufacturing base. The consultant will therefore also assess land-use planning and required infrastructure for such a transformation.

The timing assumes greater importance amid renewed momentum in Karnataka for a second airport in Bengaluru, positioning Hosur’s airport as a strategic alternative for southern Bengaluru suburbs and southern Karnataka.

However, considerable regulatory and administrative hurdles remain. The state must obtain a No Objection Certificate from Bengaluru International Airport Ltd, which holds the rights to restrict new airports within a 150-km radius of Bengaluru until 2033.

In addition, airspace in the region falls under Hindustan Aeronautics Limited , requiring a nod from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The state government has reportedly written again to the MoD, seeking necessary clearance.