Bangalore Airport Link Rail Corporation

TNN's R Jayaprakash(ToI Dec 18 2007) is reporting that in the next few weeks, the government will float a Bangalore Airport Link Rail Corporation and set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to handle the affairs. Quoting an official working on the project the report says that the tentative name suggested is Bangalore Airport Rail Link Corporation. This follows the meeting DMRC’s E Sreedharan had with the governor. The governor’s office will seek Centre’s consent in the absence of an elected body. And get this, apparently, the train promises to take you from MG road to airport in just 15 minutes!!!

Some more from the report

		The rail link has been proposed from MG Road near BRV Grounds to Devanahalli International Airport. This 30-km non-stop train is estimated to cost Rs 4,000 crore and will be implemented on BOT basis. It will run parallel to the existing Hyderabad track — this will avoid land acquisition hurdles. Once the corporation is floated, a DPR will be prepared and global tenders floated. There will clarity once the jurisdictions of the SPV are spelt out.   Though there were several government agencies which could have been roped in to execute the project, the members at the meeting were unanimous about having a separate corporation. The corporation will have board members comprising civic stakeholders, railway authorities, BMRC MD and urban development secretary. It will be headed by a senior IAS officer. Expressway After dilly-dallying over the proposed expressway from outer ring road to Devanahalli airport for over two years, the government now wants the Union government to take up the project. The 21-km expressway was mooted for dedicated road connectivity but the project is still on paper.

How long it will take to implement the project itself is not known right now. We ought to keep an eye for more details in the comming days.