BENGALURU: The alternative route to Kempegowda International Airport, which was launched with much fanfare recently, is yet to become popular among passengers as it still lacks basic facilities.
Those who have used the road say that it can even get unsafe to travel on this road during peak hours or at night.
Kaushik Banerjee, a resident of Indiranagar, said, “I landed at KIA around 1am recently and took a cab to get to Indiranagar. At the airport exit, the driver turned on to the new road and it was fine for the first few minutes. But, the road suddenly turns into a narrow lane and winds through several residential areas which have no traffic or people. There are no lights on this road either and for a moment I was afraid of being mugged. The driver then explained that he took this route to avoid paying toll.”
Even when the road was inaugurated on March 5, officials said that pending works such as fixing of lights will be completed soon. “We need the connection through Hennur which is vital as currently the route passes through Chikkajala. The other route is not worth using right now,” Radhakrishna Holla K, president of Bengaluru Tourists Taxi Owners’ Association said. The alternative road will reduce the distance to reach the airport by at least 10km for those travelling from eastern parts of the city. It is estimated that around 25,000 vehicles will use the road daily if completed.