A record 25 million (250 lakh) passengers passed through Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru in 2017, its operator BIAL said on Tuesday.
"Bengaluru airport clocked 25 million passengers in the calendar year 2017, registering 13% annual growth, while air traffic grew 4.3%," said operator Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL), a consortium of public and private investors, in a statement.
The airport, on the city's northern outskirts at Devanahalli, is the country's third largest after New Delhi and Mumbai. The decade-old airport's departure and arrival terminals are used by 43 airlines, connecting 62 cities across the country and overseas.
"The airport also had the highest number - 87,815 - of passengers on December 23 landing or taking off on a single day, with record 603 air traffic movements in 24 hours," it said.
The airport also handled a whopping 339,461 tonnes of cargo last year, registering eight percent annual growth over 2016.
"We have surpassed projected numbers and continue on a growth trajectory. Our airport has been rated as the fastest growing terminal globally by FlightGlobal, an international rating agency," said BIAL Chief Executive Hari Marar in the statement.
The airport witnessed growth across segments, including leisure travel.
"Passenger traffic was on upswing, with 21.31 million (213 lakh) domestic and 3.73 million (37 lakh) international passengers, a growth of 14.5% and 4.7% respectively," noted the statement.
Of the total cargo, international freight grew 10.4% and domestic 4.2% annually from 2016.
"The airport also accounts for highest export of roses and mangoes from south India," said the statement, citing the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics, part of the Commerce and Industry Ministry.
Four new routes were added last year including two in the domestic sector to Silchar in Assam and Udaipur in Rajasthan and two (Amsterdam and Bahrain) in the overseas sector.
As part of regional connectivity, the airport operates flights to Agatti Island in Lakshadweep, Belagavi and Hubli in northwest Karnataka, Coimbatore and Madurai in Tamil Nadu, Rajamundry in Andhra Pradesh and Thiruva-nanthapuram in Kerala.
DHL Aviation International Cargo and Malindo Air of Malaysia began operations during the year under review.
The country's first greenfield airport is operated by private promoters holding 74% and 26% by the state and the Central governments.
Among private investors Fairfax holds 48% and Siemens Projects Ventures 24%, while the Karnataka State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (KSSIDC) and the Airport Authority of India hold 13% each.