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BIAL Rail Connect - Alternate/s

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Metro RailPublic Transport

The International Airport at Devanahalli has been operational for well over two years now. Already, there are huge developments all along the road to Devanahalli. The recent reports also suggest that air traffic has grown substantially - expansion plans of BIAL are already underway.

BIAL is planning an Airport City on 215 acres of land on the main access road to the airport terminal building. Several other projects are also in the pipeline near Devanahalli - aerospace SEZ, three industrial parks on 3000 acres of land, a lot of star hotels & commercial development.

Global economic fears notwithstanding, many developers have bought huge land parcels on the stretch from Hebbal to Devanahalli. DivyaSree Techspace is an upcoming integrated development with an IT park (SEZ) planned on a total land area of about 100 acres with around 3.4 million sft of commercial space + another 3.9 million sft residential, retail and hotel space. This apart, Ozone Developers have launched their integrated project (Urbana), Prestige is coming up with Golfshire near Nandi hills, Nitesh with Columbus Square and Sobha with several projects - Althea/Azalea, Lifestyle, to name just a few.

With already so much of development - & the obvious needs that would arise in the near future to have connectivity from all points along the North to the city center for daily commuters, there will be a need for some form of fast mass transit that services the entire stretch to BIAL & perhaps even beyond upto Devanahalli at some time in the future.

The question that BMRCL should be grappling with now is:  How best to provide services for the north as also fast /express services for air travellers ?

 

 

Options:

1) The Nagwara line of Namma Metro (in ph-2 ) can turn west along ORR to Hebbal & thence run all the way to BIAL, but this will mean that the areas between MG Rd & Hebbal along Bellary rd will not be connected. Also, it will not help air travellers as the distance of some 38km from MG rd would take well over an hour. Further, the train would have to deviate off the highway to BIAL, if it has to terminate at the airport & the SEZs beyond will have no provision to be connected in the future.

2) Nagwara line of Namma Metro to continue Northwards along Thanisandra main road, thence turn west to join NH7 at either Kogilu or at BSF (Bagalur cross) to proceed to BIAL -- this will have even more disadvantages. The stretch from MG Rd to Yelahanka (along Bellary rd) will remain unserviced with mass transit.

3) New Metro line from MG Rd to BIAL in place of HSRL - again the obvious disadvantages of a slow service for air travellers as also the deviation /termination at BIAL.

4) BRT along NH7 from Palace Grounds or Mekhri circle onwards - but, getting to Mekhri circle, particularly from the south, will pose serious obstacles for air travellers due to the absense of Metro connectivity.

5) Commuter rail on existing tracks - there are disadvantages with this since the routing is not customised to meet commuter needs - the tracks deviate off the main thoroughfare almost throughout & there will be issues with suitable pickup points since the lines do not commence from city center.

The only satisafctory solution appears to be a double set of tracks on the same viaduct to run a fast, exclusive service for the airport, with one set of tracks deviating to BIAL at the trumpet interchange, & the other set of tracks for normal Metro trains that can initially be built to terminate at Yelahanka, but with provision to extend to run upto BSF or even beyond upto Devanahalli, as & when required.

The problem with this will be the width of the viaduct - it will imply that additional land acquisition is required - over & above what is already planned for the HSRL, further complicated with the elevated section of NH-7 between Hebbal & Yelahanka under construction now.

Comments

doc.aneesh's picture

double decker tracks?

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What about 2 sets of track one above the other? Airport trains above and metro trains below? I'm sure this will never be considered, but it will solve the problem of viaduct width.
Naveen's picture

Certainly an option

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I'm sure this will never be considered

Why do you think it would never be considered ?

Bangalore has the dubious distinction of a city with the airport furthest off, at least in terms of time taken for travel with present day traffic. Although the airport in KL is some 50km away from city (distance larger than bangalore), the ride took me less than an hour recently. Some solution is certainly needed to cut down the travel time & Metro may not be an option, given that it will take well over an hour, even from city centre, let alone from south bangalore.

Also, there is no doubt that a Metro route or other such mass-transit is required along Bellary road. One other option is to have BRT & HSRL, but there may be issues with NHAI as they own the road.

doc.aneesh's picture

extension not the way

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As you pointed out, even I feel extending an existing line is useless for an airport service. Is something like double tracks one above the other been done anywhere in the world? If they could then it will definitely be great, because bellary road has so many institutions and residents. A metro line is definitely needed there... Maybe they can build a future underground line for metro and an elevated line as planned for now
Vasanth's picture

RRTS connecting Major Points to BIAL and extend further to CBPUR

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I think we should think of Regional Rail Transit Service being planned like in Delhi to BIAL. A Stop at Hebbal and Yelahanka and one more somewhere between Yelahanka and Devanahalli probably at Chikkajala or somewhere, BIAL and extend it further to Chikkaballapur like it is done in Delhi. Have good network of feeder buses from Hebbal Station, Yelahanka Station, Chikkajala Station with good frequency. Delhi has extended its Airport Express further to Dwaraka.

Chikkaballapur can have a new Satellite Town with BDA/BMRDA itself creating residential sites and apartments. 

Naveen's picture

HSRL scrapped ?!

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Further extension of this line towards the International Airport either as a straight line or via Yelahanka depends upon the nature of High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) to the airport. If the HSRL is to be executed as an exclusive line from the city centre to the airport, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRCL) might contemplate to extend the Nagavara line directly to the airport, said sources in the Urban Development Department.

Well, well - what this implies is that the HSRL is as good as a dead duck! What is most likely to eventually happen is :

1) The Nagwara line will be extended to BIAL with limited stops (perhaps 3 or 4) past Nagwara, along Thanisandra road & past Bagalur, thus avoiding Bellary rd altogether (shortening the distance to airport).

2) A regular Metro will be connected to Yelahanka from Minsk square /Cubbon park along Bellary road, with option for extension.

Simple solution to connect the entire city by Metro to airport ! Yet, it took them so long & they are still to finalize !

Full Report in Hindu:  Gottigere-Nagavara line extension to BIA will depend on HSRL

 

Sanjeev's picture

Will BIAL see good Rail connectivity:HSRL/METRO / Commuter Rail

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When will be the target date for the BIAL to be connected with Rail connectivity by which ever means like HSRL / METRO / Commuter Rail.

Do the authority like BMRC, IDD, DULT or  CM / PM have any vision to provide the much needed rail connectivity to BIAL and integarte with outher modes of Transport in city and when is the date ???

Discussions are going on for HSRL, METRO, Commuter Rail and BRTS for BIAL connectivity since Airport was approved during S M Krishna Time ( since 2004 ).   Which ever is decided by Govt of India & GoK,  it should be done in time bound with good co-ordination between all Authorities of Center and state, it should have the fate of  BMRC going thru where   SWR,  BBMP, BMTC & other authorities do not   work in a team and finally Citizens  of Bangalore are at Receiving End for the mess.

Vijay Srinivas's picture

General Public of Yelahanka More Important

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Please note that the General Public of Yelahanka are more important, if it comes to commuting to other parts of the city, either for work or other purposes than just a few Aircraft Passengers. Hence, there can be two kinds of services, one for the general public, and the other for Aircraft Passengers.

easyrider's picture

HSRL options

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http://www.dnasyndication...

Some new developments regarding HSRL

 

Vijay Srinivas's picture

That's a good idea, I suppose

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I think that, after Nagawara, it should be diverted and the following stations should be there

  1. Dasarahalli
  2. Bhuvaneshwar Nagar
  3. Kempapura
  4. Amruthhalli
  5. Byatarayanapura
  6. Jakkur Aerodrome
  7. Allalasandra
  8. Yelahanka
  9. Kogilu Cross
  10. Venkatala
  11. Bagalur Cross
  12. Air Force Station
  13. Hunesmaranahalli
  14. MVIT Cross
  15. Betahalasur Cross
  16. Vidyanagar
  17. Chikjala
  18. Dodjala
  19. Then, straight to Airport.

There can be two types of trains, ordinary which would stop at all stoppages, and express, which would stop at Byatarayanapura, Yelahanka, Bagalur Cross and Vidyanagar Only.

bcsagar's picture

extend nagavara line to Hebbal & BIAL

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We can use the experience of Delhi airport Metro express to realize if we need seperate line.

Though project  &  tickets are subsidized (Rs 80-100)  & Delhi airport  is 5 times bigger capacity than Blore, the ridership is below expected calculation. http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/sreedharan-2-last/923651.html

Most of the people prefer cabs from Home/office coz of luggage.

Also B'lore being radial city, no point in going to center & catching hsr.

So only single travellers may use it  which is very less numbers & they can instead use the metro extended line. ( may be a special express every 30 mins)

the current volvo service covering various points gets speeded up once NHAI completes express road.

So the best economical & one with benefit for large population is to extend metro to BIAL.

it will also connect the working population to future office destinations.

I am emphasizing via hebbal along orr & then further . ( as it will be a future transit center

for BMTC /BRT/ Light Rail along ORR. )

 

 

 

 

 

bcsagar's picture

Delhi Airport Metro Express to close from Sunday

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http://economictimes.indi...

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