The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Concern over lack of easy access to Devanahalli airport

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Concern over lack of easy access to Devanahalli airport

Staff Reporter

Rail link awaiting approval, expressway mired in legal wrangles

The airport is scheduled to be operational from March 30, 2008
BMTC agrees to run low-floor high speed buses to the airport

BANGALORE: Even as the international airport at Devanahalli is scheduled to be operational from March 30, 2008, various stakeholders have expressed concern over the lack of easy access to the airport at a round table on the “connectivity to the new airport” organised by the Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) here on Tuesday.

While the high-speed rail link between the city and the airport is yet to get government approval, the expressway is mired in legal wrangles and even the trumpet interchange on National Highway No. 7 near the airport will not be fully ready when the airport begins its operations, according to Principal Secretary to the Government (Infrastructure Development) V.P. Baligar. The interchange has to pass over NH 7 and the Chikkaballapur railway line.

Trumpet interchange

The two loops — one from the airport towards the city and the other from Devanahalli side to the airport — will be ready.

The third, from the city in to the airport, was caught up in litigation and was cleared only last week.

Initially being planned and executed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the interchange is now being executed by the Bangalore International Airport Authority Limited (BIAL).

With construction of the loop from the city towards the airport (which also includes construction of an inner loop from the airport towards Devanahalli) likely to be delayed for over a year, traffic from the city has to take a ‘U’ turn after the interchange and enter the airport through the loop from Devanahalli side, Mr. Baligar said. He said the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has agreed to run 40 low-floor high speed buses to the new airport from different parts of the city.

It has also agreed to offer place at the Shanthinagar Bus Terminal and HSR Layout Bus Station for remote check-in facility for passengers.

The high-speed rail link, once given government approval, would take at least four years for completion, he added.

Bellary Road

Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner S. Subramanya spoke on the steps being taken by the civic body to improve Bellary Road from city centre to Hebbal flyover.

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