50 minutes to reach BIA

50 minutes to reach BIA
B K Chandrashekar

I congratulate TOI yet again on the strong concern shown re garding the quality of life including infrastructure (especially roads). The Unlock Bangalore consultation seemed, as reported, to be of high quality and utility. I have myself tried to champion better infrastructure facilities, better overall quality of life. However, I wish to correct an impression repeated by several people regarding the time taken to reach BIAL from Vidhana Soudha. From the centre of Bangalore, or from areas around Vidhana Soudha, it does not take 2-3 hours as declared by several people at the Unlock Bangalore discussion.
Just a few days ago, I invited BBMP commissioner Subramanya and member secretary, infrastructure and in-charge of connectivity to BIAL V P Baligar to drive to BIAL from Vidhana Soudha and to time the journey. I inspected the grade separator work at BDA Junction and one or two work spots at traffic junctions and finally at the trumpet interchange near BIAL.
After taking time spent on inspection, it took 50 minutes for the Vidhana Soudha-BIAL journey. I had myself kept track of time required. It is important to record here that I had no police escort with me (I have never used it in Bangalore and rarely do so on my tours out of Bangalore).
With the completion by end-April of the 2-3 grade separators - underpass, the journey will be even quicker. The time that might be taken for those of us who travel from Banashankari or Jayanagar will obviously more than 50 minutes. But surely that would be the case for people from Malleswaram, Sadashivanagar or Indiranagar had the airport been located at Bidadi on Mysore Road, once considered as an alternative to Devanahalli.