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Zoom Down 18-Lane Autobahn to BIA

  • The ride towards Bengaluru International Airport and beyond will soon become a minutes-only affair with work under way to upgrade Bellary Road ( NH 7) into an 18-lane autobahn with a high speed rail link (HSRL) embedded in it.The Rs 680-crore upgradation involves a 22.12-km stretch of the road beginning from Hebbal flyover up to Bachchalli railway gate, beyond the Trumpet Interchange leading to the airport.The autobahn will be 65 metres wide and have three-lane service roads on either side of the six-lane highway, besides the nation's first-ever six-lane elevated corridor running along the highway. Work, which began in September 2010, is expected to be completed by May 2013.

  • Currently, properties adjoining the road on either side of the road have been notified for acquisition. Land up to a width of 5 metres will be acquired on either side of the road leading towards the airport. There have also been instances of land up to 15 metres wide being proposed for acquisition along some parts of the stretch."The three-lane service roads have been planned basically to divert local traffic, including buses and non-airport bound traffic, while the signal-free highway and elevated corridor will cater to only airport-bound vehicles," said AK Mathur, chief general manager (technical), NHAI Bangalore.Each three-lane service road will be 10.5 metres wide, while the existing main carriageway is about 25.5 metres wide. A 5-metre corridor between the carriageway and service road on the side of Esteem Mall will be earmarked for HSRL. NHAI authorities said pavements and drains will also be accommodated in the 65-metre autobahn.

  • Esteem Mall, Columbia Asia Hospital and several other prime properties, including Jakkur airport, will be losing land for the project, coming up on the right side of the airport-bound road. On the left side, GKVK has already parted with land, while the Indian Air Force station in Yelahanka is awaiting clearance from its headquarters to gives up its share of land.NHAI's acquisition plans, however, have run into rough weather on the left side of the airport-bound road near Hebbal flyover as the Army, which is building an apartment complex in the area, has refused to part with land for the project. "We are trying to convince the Army authorities that a service road would, in fact, benefit their apartment residents and facilitate direct access," Mathur said.

  • NHAI has already released a compensation package of Rs450 crore to the state revenue department for payment towards properties to be acquired for the project. About 45 hectares of land will be acquired in all for the project.

Progress card

  • NHAI chief general manager (technical) A K Mathur said that 50% of the work upgradation work was over. He also said that half the work on the first section of the elevated corridor was complete. The six-lane elevated corridor is being built in three sections: the first 3.722-km stretch from Esteem Mall to Yelahanka bypass, while the second and third corridors will span for about 600-odd metres beyond Kogilu Cross and at Vidyanagar.

Underpasses coming up

  • NHAI authorities also said the upgradation of Bellary Road has provision for vehicle and pedestrian underpasses across the highway to facilitate easy movement for locals.One pedestrian underpass will come up after Kogilu Cross, two vehicle underpasses will be built between Kogilu cross and Vidyanagar, and a cattle underpass will be constructed near Hunasamaranahalli.

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