BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) expects to complete an alternative route to connect the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli with the Mahadevapura Zone soon. Speaking to TNIE, Jayashankar Reddy, Executive Engineer, Road Infrastructure BBMP said, “The new road project under the Comprehensive Development Project Scheme commenced in 2018, but faced several hurdles with regard to Transferable Development Rights, and the pandemic in 2020.
The said stretch is between Outer Ring Road, Kadubeesanahalli, and the BDA’s proposed Peripheral Ring Road in Gunjur. The 5.3-km BBMP project connects three villages, namely Bhoganahalli, Panathur and Varthur. We have already completed 3.5 km of work and are facing hurdles over forest land near Gunjurpalya and the Railway crossing. We have written to the Railways to construct a Railway Over Bridge, while the owners of small sites at survey numbers are demanding monetary compensation. If this is addressed, heading to the airport’s Terminal-2 from this stretch can be expected at the earliest.”
He informed that the Palike invested only Rs 20 crore, however, in return it may receive hundreds of crores as the better connectivity on this stretch will lead to the creation of more software parks, hotels and other commercial projects. This apart, the dependency on the existing Mekhri Circle-Devanahalli route by passengers will reduce, as people from Electronics City-HSR, Sarjapur, Koramangala, Varthur, Gunjur, and Marathahalli can opt for this route to reach Terminal-2.
The official further added that the passengers coming from Sarjapur Road and the surrounding areas can enter this stretch, reach Kadugodi, head towards Bellathur, and then reach Katamnallur in the Bengaluru Rural district. From here, one can drive down to Budigere Cross and then onward to Devanahalli to reach the airport. On this entire stretch so far, no cash compensation was given and the land in many parts was acquired through TDRs only, and MLA Aravind Limbavali had facilitated this by convincing the owners.