BENGALURU: With Aero India 2025 to be held from February 10 to 14 at Air Force Station at Yelahanka, the Indian Air Force has asked Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) to temporarily halt construction work near its premises for the next 11 days. Accordingly, BMRC stopped Airport Line work near Yelahanka, which falls within the IAF campus, from Wednesday night.
A top official told TNIE, “We received a written communication from IAF asking us to stop work from February 5 to 15 as they require the space where we are working, for parking. We shifted all our machinery and equipment last night and will restart work from February 16.”
The Airport Line for 37km from KR Pura to KIA with 17 stations, has been split into three packages. The final package from Yelahanka to Terminal 2 stretching 15.01km, commences from the IAF campus.
Work has been halted for up to 1km here. “While this stretch runs at grade for 3.1km and the rest of the line is elevated, only a small portion of 750 metres near IAF goes underground. As this portion comes in the path of flights, there are restrictions in construction here. Hence, BMRCL is creating an underground tunnel in this portion, using cut and cover technology,” he explained.
The work involves excavating soil, then carrying out construction and later backfilling it.
In the third package, only one station, Doddajala, being built by BMRCL with two stations inside the airport being taken care of by airport operator BIAL. “Provisions for future stations like Bettahalasur and Chikkajala are also being provided from this line, but are not being built at present.”
Almost 70 per cent of the civil works on this stretch have been completed, said another official. From the airport end, tracks have been laid for 2km, he added.