Bangalore: When the Bangalore International Airport near Devanahalli becomes operational about three years from now, a 30-km dedicated expressway will connect it to the city. The expressway is likely to start from the Outer Ring Road, close to Nagavara.

The airport link expressway, as it is likely to be called, will be funded by the State Government and implemented by the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA).

Cost of project

While the actual cost is still being worked out, the cost of land acquisition alone is estimated at Rs. 350 crore, going by the prevailing cost of land in that area.

The Government has to acquire close to 300 acres, and this process will begin soon and be completed by December.

Expression of interest from major infrastructure firms will be called in January and the project is expected to be completed in about 36 months from then on, according to government sources.

Private partner

The BMRDA will have a private partner to execute the expressway project on build, own, operate, transfer (BOOT) basis with the duration of private participation to be worked out later.

The only intersection with other roads will be with the Peripheral Ring Road being built by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). At the airport side, the expressway will branch into two arms according to the plan.

One will lead into the airport and the other will link with the Bangalore-Hyderabad National Highway 7.

Flyover

There is likely to be a flyover at this junction. This means that cars going to the airport will not get caught up in highway traffic and transit will be faster.

It will also be the only access to the international airport.

The expressway will also pass over the railway tracks there. Bangalore International Airport Ltd. (BIAL) had had discussions with the National Highways Authority of India about the expressway having to pass above the railway line.

This is considered important for the expressway to be viable as the aim is to reduce travel time from the city centre to the new airport and make driving almost non-strop up to the airport parking area.

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