How about traveling to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) within 30 minutes. It sounds impossible, but the Karnataka railway authorities are actually up for this job. A halt station which is going to ease up the commuters is developing up right at the KIA frame, set for finish by the first week of February.
A 30 min journey to KIA
The railway authorities have already started to work on a 600-meter platform which is much likely to be completed within 15 days. The project is funded and administered by the Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL).
The halt station is anticipated to be positioned on the northwestern periphery of the KIA campus which will be connected to the KIA terminals by shuttle buses. BIAL has already stated that it will serve its shuttle services to help commuters and airport workers cover the 3.5-km distance in less than 10 minutes.
The trains that operate from the tracks: a train that runs between Channapatna and Kolar, a second train linking Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru City, and a third between Devanahalli and Yeshwantpur. The Railways recently allowed a fourth train, a DEMU service, connecting Whitefield, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar. This is supposed to commence its service within a week.
Trains near KIA
“Four trains up and four trains down will be a good start. This line’s capacity can be multiplied if a crossing facility comes up either at the KIA halt station or Doddajala,” says urban rail analyst Sanjeev Dyamannavar.
The Railway authorities have continuously suggested electrification of the Yelahanka–Devanahalli line along a 30 km stretch. Once this project, estimated to cost about Rs 30 crore, is finished, more trains could be included. There will also be new services during the rush hours and around 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm that will benefit both airport staffers and commuters.
For now, the project would take years to complete. But once the Baiyappanahalli rail terminal begins, a train service to Devanahalli via KIA halt station could help commuters switch from Metro to a dedicated airport train.
