Cruise to BIA in just 25 mins

Cruise to BIA in just 25 mins
High-Speed Rail Link, Once Executed, Will Provide En Route Check-In Options
TEAM TOI


Travelling to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) shouldn’t give you fright anymore. The government has planned High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) by which you can do the 33-km run to the airport in under 25 minutes with a check-in option at the City Airport Terminal (CAT).
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will be the project consultant. The concessions agreement is to be signed by March 21, 2009 and the project execution duration will be 36 months.
The HSRL starts from Police Parade Grounds, where the CAT will be located. Besides CAT check-in, two more check-in points will be located in Hebbal and Yelahanka.
The alignment will follow Cubbon Road, Chowdaiah Road, Ramana Maharshi Road along NH7 and terminates at the BIA. The HSRL will be double track and elevated throughout — starting from the CAT except at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, where it will dip to, or on the surface.
Initially, there will be 10 trains operating with frequency of 10 minutes. The frequency will be increased to eight and six minutes subsequently. The fare structure assumed is Rs 200 from CAT, Rs 150 from Hebbal and Rs 100 from Yelahanka.
The project cost is estimated to be Rs 3,716 crore, which is proposed to be set up on BOT basis. A special purpose vehicle, Bengaluru Airport Rail Link Ltd, has been constituted under the chairmanship of chief secretary.
Namma Metro Chugs
The Bangalore Metro got a boost with the government allocating Rs 700 crore for the project, as against Rs 178 crore in the previous year.
The project, already nine months behind the schedule, is likely to gain momentum as the state government has assured to allocate more funds, if need be. Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) managing director N Sivasailam said the allocation was as per the agreement between the state and Centre. “Even the Centre has committed to releasing Rs 700 crore this year and this is in the agreement. Finance is not a constraint, as the government is ready to release any amount, if needed, to accelerate the project,’’ he said.
“We are working on covering up for the delay. Give me some time and we will work out how much of time we can cover and execute the project as early as possible,’’ Sivasailam added.