BANGALORE: The city has underpasses below roads and railway lines. Now, an underpass below a runway? If the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has its way, the alternative road to Bangalore International Airport could pass under the BIA’s proposed second runway. The alternative road cuts through Bagalur, Kannur and Mylanahalli and is said to reduce the distance to the airport by over 10 km.The BBMP has already laid this road from Hennur in the eastern part of the city to the airport at a cost of Rs 45 crore and all that is left for the road to be opened to traffic is bringing down the airport’s perimeter wall. For this, it needs clearance from BIAL.But BIAL cited the second runway, which was scheduled to come up in the next couple of years, as the main reason why it had not approved breaking the wall.“We have had talks with BIA officials. We hope they heed to our requests as it would solve a lot of the traffic problems,” deputy mayor S Harish said.He said the BBMP would put forth proposals to the airport authorities to open the already complete road. “We have also thought of making an underpass under the second proposed runway at a cost of Rs 3-4 crore,” he said and added, “Roads under runways are common at many international airports and this is possible here as well.” Harish, who was part of the first meeting with BIAL officials in January this year, said they would present a detailed project report (DPR) at the end of the month when the two bodies are scheduled to meet.The alternative road to the airport is expected to halve the traffic on the existing road but remains unused with BBMP and BIAL at loggerheads.In January this year, the standing committee on major works of the BBMP met BIAL officials and urged them to provide all the necessary clearances, but nothing seems to have materialised even after a couple of meetings.BBMP opines that the new road will not be tolled. Many BIAL employees too jump over the five-foot wall to get to the airport as it reduces their travel time.
Comments
0 comment