Bengaluru’s upcoming airport tunnel promises to cut travel time by 30 minutes, all you need to know

The Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru is set to benefit from a significant infrastructure project called the 'Eastern Connectivity Tunnel.' This new tunnel will directly link the eastern parts of the city, such as Whitefield, Sarjapur, and Mahadevapura, to the airport. The aim of the project is to reduce travel times to KIA by about 30 minutes, offering a smoother and quicker route for passengers traveling from these areas.

This development is part of Bangalore International Airport Limited’s (BIAL) larger Rs 16,500 crore expansion plan to address the increasing demands of Bengaluru's growing aviation sector, according to a report by The Indian Express. The Eastern Connectivity Tunnel is designed to reduce congestion on the heavily crowded Hebbal flyover. By providing an alternative route from the eastern state highway, the tunnel is expected to divert around 30% of airport-bound traffic, significantly easing the city's traffic flow.

Construction of the tunnel is planned to begin later this year, with completion expected within three years. BIAL CEO Hari Marar highlighted that the tunnel's design would not only provide a reliable route to the airport but also improve overall traffic movement in the city. Additionally, BIAL is expanding the airport's capacity through other projects, including the development of two new metro stations, upgrades to the taxiway system, and the creation of Terminal 3, to accommodate increasing passenger numbers. By 2030–32, KIA’s passenger traffic is projected to reach 85 million, surpassing earlier estimates.

In a related development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar recently announced the start of another key infrastructure project: an underground tunnel road for Bengaluru. Work on this much-anticipated project, which is aimed at tackling the city's notorious traffic congestion, is scheduled to begin in the first half of 2025. Shivakumar emphasized that even with metro services, traffic issues persist, and this tunnel project is expected to be a major solution.

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