Bengaluru Airport to get three new routes, Metro connection

While the Bengaluru airport has been hailed as a wonderful feat of engineering, getting to the airport has been a bane for the citizens of the city. 

Located at an average of 35-40 kms from various places in the city, heavy traffic and congested roads until the KIA highway outside the city has meant that commuters have to leave several hours before their flights if they wish to reach on time. 

 

The Karnataka government had earlier promised to ease travel to the airport through a number of alternate solutions. While the proposed Metro Rail connection is yet to materialise, the state has begun the first steps to creating alternative 'corridors' to reach the airport. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Krishna Bhaire Gowda, KJ George, Roshan Baig and other ministers along with legislators and government officers made a visit to such parallel roads and discussed the possibility of parallel routes to the airport yesterday. They also shared details of the project with the media. 

 

The government plans three parallel routes from Bengaluru East, Central and West and roads identified within these routes will be upgraded to ensure smooth transit. Also, the CM stated that there were plans to extend the city Metro Rail till the airport. 

 

The government has already approved the construction of the Metro Rail from Kanteerava Studio to Kogilu via Tumkur Road and Gangamma Circle. It is also considering connecting the Metro from Kogilu to the airport - distance for some six kms. 

 

The BMRCL has uploaded this information on its website and has invited suggestions from the public. The peripheral ring roads will also be developed along with the Metro. 

The steel flyover, which is being opposed strongly by some city-based groups, is planned to one of these alternative routes. 

 

The three parallel routes are:

 

1. Bengaluru East route (Hennur road): Starts from Pulikeshi Nagar via ORR, Kannuru, Bagaluru, Mailanahalli, Ertaganahalli. Finally an underpass will connect the route to KIA Road (East Corridor). (21.43 Km in total). 

 

The government has released ₹7 crore under the urban development scheme in the year 2014-15. The government has to acquire 15 acres of land for this project. It has instructed officers to finish the process of land acquisition by December this year.

 

2. Bengaluru Central Route (Thanisandra Main Road) Starts from Pulikeshi Nagar Circle via Tannery road, Shampur Main Road, Nagavara Junction, Belahalli Junction, Satanuru, Bagaluru, Mailanahalli, Ertaganahalli. Finally, an underpass to connect KIA Road (East Corridor). (20.53 Km in total). 
The government has already spent ₹31 crore for grade separator in Rashtrotthaana Circle near Thanisandra Main road and further construction is planned.  

3. Bengaluru West Corridor: Starts from Magadi Road via Havanuru circle, Mahalakshmi Layout, Jalahalli cross junction, Gangamma circle, MS Palya circle and Kogilu Junction (towards KIA road) (30.36 Km in total).