KIA T-2: This new terminal of Bengaluru airport will wow you

PM Narendra Modiwill inaugurate Kempegowda International Airport’s second terminal, unveil the 108ft statue of city founder Kempegowda on Friday. Here is all you need to know about the terminal :
Exclusive domestic terminal
The 2,55,645 sqm Phase 1 of T2 will initially serve as an exclusive terminal for domestic flights as T1 will continue to cater to international operations. T2 will commence full-fledged operations from the end of December as a domestic terminal catering to 25 million passengers a year.

Gradually, through 2023, international flight operations will also begin at the new terminal and construction of Phase 2 of T2 will progress through the year. Domestic carriers like Air Asia and Air India will be among the first to start operations from T2 by the end of 2022.

Terminal-in-a-garden
The terminal seeks to give a pleasant experience to travellers, as the Rs 5,000 crore initiative has incorporated the concept of a "Terminal-in-a-garden", a first of its kind.

Spread over a total area of 2,55,645 square metres, there will be nine customs hand baggage screening. The gate lounge will have a seating capacity of 5,932. Phase 1 of T-2 has a capacity of 25 million passengers per annum.
Prime features
- 22 entry and exit gates
- 5,932 gate lounge seating
- 95 check-in bays
- 17 security check lanes
- Departure immigration - 30 conventionally manned, 10 e-gates
- Arival immigration - 34 conventional, 6 e-gates, 20 visa on-arrival bays
- Nine baggage claim belts
- 15 tarmac bus gates
Nadaprabhu Kempegowda statue
The 108 feet statue of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil on Friday is the "first and tallest bronze statue of a founder of a city," as per 'World Book of Records'.

The guiding principles
The Terminal-2 has been built on four guiding principles -- 'Terminal in a Garden', sustainability, technology and innovation, and art and culture of Karnataka.

"The T2 is an architectural wonder, which is a first-of-its kind 'Terminal in a Garden'. It will have lush greenery within and outside and will be a visual delight like no other in the world. The passengers' experience is designed to be a walk in the garden while traveling through the new terminal," a KIA official said.
Hanging garden
A big draw of Terminal-2 will be its 'hanging garden'.

The designers have also kept in mind the rich art and culture of Karnataka while designing the terminal.
Bamboo touch
Terminal 2 (T2) of KIA can be termed a bamboo paradise. A majority of the structure is crafted with engineered bamboo, a renewable material considered to emit zero carbon, to symbolise the Garden City. What is interesting is that a Bengaluru-based startup, BambooozFurn Bambu Pvt Ltd, raced past many international firms involved in bamboo-based designing, in enhancing the visual appeal of T2 (which is spread over 2,55,645sqm).


In fact, T2 was conceptualised and designed by American architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill on the theme “terminal in a garden”, and L&T carried out the construction work.