Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) and Menzies Aviation have launched the country’s largest greenfield domestic cargo terminal (DCT) at Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAB/BLR Airport).

Spanning 245,000 square feet across 7 acres, the terminal has a peak handling capacity of 360,000 metric tonnes, expandable to 400,000 metric tonnes. Equipped with 42 truck docks, over 400 cargo bins, X-ray-integrated conveyors, and 30 ULD stations, the facility also features real-time data capture with 40 handheld terminals and self-service kiosks for agents.

“Previously, our total cargo capacity was 750,000 metric tonnes. This terminal adds another 360,000 to 400,000 metric tonnes, pushing our overall capacity beyond 1 million metric tonnes,” said Satyaki Raghunath, COO, BIAL. He anticipates the airport will handle 1 million metric tonnes of cargo and serve 80-90 million passengers by 2030, ultimately reaching a saturation capacity of over 100 million passengers and 1.5 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Bengaluru Airport now connects directly to over 100 destinations—75 domestic and 31 international—via 38 passenger airlines and 12 dedicated cargo airlines. It remains the country’s third busiest airport for both passenger and cargo traffic and the only airport in South India with two independent parallel runways.

“Domestic cargo growth is fueled by express shipments and perishable goods. E-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart depend on air cargo for rapid deliveries, while fresh produce, seafood, and pharmaceuticals require efficient logistics solutions,” Raghunath added.

Built to Indian Green Building Council standards, the terminal integrates eco-friendly features such as skylights, advanced ventilation, water conservation measures, and energy-efficient infrastructure.

BIAL is a joint venture between Fairfax India (64%), Airports Authority of India (13%), and Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (13%).