Commuters demand urgent repair of Hennur–Bagalur road linking Bengaluru airport

The Hennur–Bagalur stretch, wide known arsenic the ‘alternate route’ to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), has go a nightmare for motorists.

Regular commuters complained that the roadworthy was filled with heavy potholes and uneven surfaces, making it astir intolerable for vehicles to walk smoothly.

Despite being a important roadworthy for the residents of Bengaluru, the agelong has remained neglected for years. Commuters argued that if repaired properly, the roadworthy could service arsenic a large way to airport-bound postulation by cutting down question time, substance consumption, and congestion connected the main road starring to the airport.

The section residents said the concern had worsened successful caller months, particularly astir Hennur junction, Kothanur, K. Narayanapura, Mittaganahalli junction, and Bagalur junction areas dotted with ample crater-like puddles.

Poor attraction and repeated patchwork

The residents said that the Public Works Department (PWD), which is liable for maintaining this stretch, had failed to transportation retired lasting repair works. Arjun V., a nonmigratory of Hennur, said, “The alternate roadworthy to the airdrome is successful pathetic shape. Large potholes are scattered crossed respective junctions. Every clip the PWD tries to hole them, the enactment lasts lone for a fewer days. The patchwork does not withstand adjacent airy rain.”

Ravindra Kamath, an airdrome worker who often travels connected this route, said the information of the roadworthy reflects poorly connected Bengaluru’s image. “This roadworthy has been successful a unspeakable authorities for astir a year. When it rains, the potholes crook into puddles, forcing each vehicles to determination successful a azygous lane. It’s shameful that an planetary airdrome is connected by specified a damaged road. The sides are covered with silt and debris, forcing motorists to determination to the middle, which is arsenic bad,” helium said.

He added that the road’s mediocre information poses a superior information risk, particularly for two-wheelers and night-time travellers. “We spot accidents astir each day. The authorities should instrumentality enactment earlier immoderate untoward incidents occur,” Mr. Kamath added.

The mediocre authorities of the roadworthy has besides affected cab and taxi drivers, who usage this way regularly to ferry passengers to the airport. Many of them study conveyance harm and higher attraction costs owed to the unsmooth surface.

Streetlights were not decently lit, which made travelling unsafe astatine night. Nagaraju H.S., a cab driver, said, “This roadworthy is not conscionable battered but besides poorly lit. After dark, galore drivers debar it altogether. Recently, my car deed a pothole I couldn’t spot successful the dark, and it damaged my bumper badly. It’s unsafe for some drivers and passengers.”

Travel Operators’ Association raises concern

The Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association (KSTOA) has besides voiced its concerns astir airdrome connectivity. The relation urged the improvement of an alternate roadworthy of planetary standards to conscionable the increasing request from home and planetary travellers.

KSTOA president Radhakrishna Holla said the Hennur–Bagalur agelong has the imaginable to service arsenic a parallel airdrome way if developed properly. “Improving this roadworthy volition importantly easiness unit connected the main airdrome road and assistance negociate the rising postulation load. We person been urging the authorities to upgrade it connected priority,” helium added.

Meanwhile, a elder Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) authoritative assured that the civic assemblage has taken enactment of the complaints and that indispensable measures would beryllium initiated soon. “We volition coordinate with engineers from the respective portion and inspect the damage. Once the appraisal is completed, we volition prioritise the repair enactment to marque the roadworthy motorable again,” the authoritative said.