Finally, a respite for Airport Road residents

Finally, a respite for Airport Road residents
Ambarish B | TNN

Bangalore: Residents of Airport Road have started the countdown. In a few months, they’ll bid goodbye to gridlocked traffic, vehicles bellowing choking smoke and delayed journeys.
When Bangalore’s commercial air traffic gets shifted to Devanahalli next April, traffic density on Airport Road is expected to come down by as much as 20 per cent.
A study by the city traffic police, with the help of a private agency, showed that Airport Road has 10,000 PCU (passenger car unit) per hour, of which 2,000 PCUs enter the airport.
“On Airport Road, 20 per cent reduction is a major reprieve. There are other apprehensions because of the booming IT activity in ITPL and Whitefield. Given the present scenario, shifting of the airport will definitely ease the pressure on Airport Road,’’ additional commissioner of police (traffic) M N Reddi (since transferred) told The Times of India.
The study says poor infrastructure in the airport has implications for the main road. “The present capacity of the roads at the arrival and departure sections is around 400 PCUs against the entry of 2,000 PCUs. This results in vehicles piling up at the entrance and hits traffic on the main road,’’ an expert said.
Though traffic police are relieved about the airport shift, growth on the south-eastern part of the city is worrying them. “The primary users of Airport Road are motorists going to ITPL and Whitefield. Old Madras Road and Airport Road are the only two access roads to these destinations. Plus, construction activity in these localities is tremendous and that’s eating up the space created by the airport shift,’’ another officer said.
One possible way to divert some vehicles to Old Madras Road would be to widen it after Benniganahalli. The study says 60 per cent of motorists bound to Whitefield and ITPL prefer Airport Road to OM Road. Unless the bottleneck on Old Madras Road is cleared, Airport Road won’t get respite.
A Passenger Car Unit is equivalent to three buses, one two-wheeler and two cars
During peak hour, Airport Road bears 10,000 PCU
Infrastructure in the airport is insufficient to hold 2,000 PCU/hr
More than 60% techies, who use personal transport, prefer Airport Road than Old Madras Road to reach ITPL