International operations from this terminal would begin by the end of 2023.
Bengaluru: With over 3,600 plant species, hanging gardens, walking forest, waterfalls and almost negligible consumption of electricity in the day, the newly opened terminal 2 of Bengaluru airport is a walking garden and the first and largest airport terminal in the world that has been pre-certified with a Platinum LEED rating by the USGBC (US Green Building Council).
Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November last year, Terminal 2 of Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport has begun its operation with Star Air and AirAsia moving into the terminal in January and February this year.
Terminal 2 will soon see other domestic operators moving in operations from this terminal by the end of April this year, while the international operations from this terminal would begin by the end of 2023.
Hari Marar, MD and CEO of Bangalore International Airport (BIAL), told The Sunday Guardian that Terminal 2 of Bengaluru airport has been built drawing inspiration from Bengaluru city which is known as the “Garden City of India”. “We have built the terminal that holds true value to the city. This terminal is green, modern, innovative and most importantly green and sustainable. At the daytime no light is required inside the terminal building, which saves 24% of electricity. We have also installed 6.7 Megawatt of solar power capacity which is enough to take care of the electricity needs of the airport. We aim to achieve a net zero carbon emission airport.”
Terminal 2 of the Bengaluru airport currently operates flights from two domestic airlines, Star Air, which started operations from the new terminal building in January, and Air Asia that began operating out of this terminal from 15 February this year.
“We will have more domestic airlines join operations from this terminal by the end of April this year, while international will begin operations from the middle of this year itself,” Hari Marar told The Sunday Guardian.
Asked about the integration of the existing Terminal 1 with the Terminal 2, Marar said, “The entire international operations will shift to Terminal 2, while some domestic airlines like IndiGo will continue to operate from both the terminals. We will definitely integrate both these terminals.”
The 2,55,000 Square Metre built up area of the new Terminal 2 of the airport has the capacity to handle 25 million passengers annually, with the international side having the capability to handle nine and a half million passengers annually, while the domestic side would be handling 16 million passengers annually.
“This would be in addition to the existing capacity of 36 million passengers that Terminal 1 of the Bengaluru airport handles per year. In total both Terminal 1 and 2 would be able to handle more than 60 million passengers annually. Since Bengaluru is turning out to be the gateway to South India, this expansion was needed and would add much impetus to the city, the airport and the airlines that are willing to fly into the city.” Hari Marar told this newspaper.
The Terminal 2 has 90 check-in counters and 40 baggage drop counters of which at least five automated baggage drop counters for faster and convenient check-ins for passengers. The airport also has the Digi Yatra facility for paperless and seamless air travel for passengers willing to opt for the same. It would also have 150 outlets, mixed of food and retail shopping experience inside the terminal.
The Terminal 2 of the Bengaluru airport is a first of its kind airport in the world that is built in the replica of a garden, it is also popularly known as a “Terminal in a Garden”. Right from the entrance to the boarding gate of the aircraft, this terminal would give an experience of walking in a garden to all its passengers.
The terminal building houses more than 3,600 species of plants, which includes 150 rare and endangered species of plants. These plants are potted around 10,235 Sq. Metres of green walls inside the airport terminal. Not only this, thousands of plants are also potted on huge bronze bells and veils that hangs from the roof of the airport, giving it a feel of a hanging garden. The entire internal structure of the airport is also built using engineered bamboos sourced from Vietnam.
Prasanna Murthy, Vice President and Head of Landscape at Bengaluru Airport while speaking to The Sunday Guardian said, “There are more than six lakh live plants inside the airport terminal. Each plant is carefully chosen and to ensure that pest infection does not happen in the plants, no soil is used in any of the plants.”
Murthy also explained how innovation and technology played a role in the design of the airport to ensure that waters do not drip from the plants onto the passengers head. “Plants would definitely need water and food to survive, but we had to ensure that water and food for plants did not inconvenience passengers, so we used technology and plants are irrigated and fed automatically when they are hungry and thirsty. There are sensors placed at the bottom of every plant that keeps giving us information about the moisture, temperature and nutrients of the plants. We collect the information and feed the plants exactly that much amount which is needed for them and to that specific plant.”
The bamboo made interiors of the airport terminal not only enhance the aesthetics of the Terminal building, but also takes care of sustainability. According to the airport authorities, the engineered bamboos are fire retardant and long lasting, while the forest and green cover naturally cleanse the air. Apart from this, the airport also has rainwater harvesting ponds which can store 413 million litres that would meet the water requirement of the airport. The Terminal also showcases a spread of artwork for its passengers that has been inspired from the Natyashashtra’s Naurasa or nine emotions and displays over 60 artworks selected from 40 artists across Karnataka and India. It will also showcase a series of archaeological exhibits for the passengers which will be sourced from the archaeological department of Karnataka on a temporary basis and change every three months.