SWR, BMRCL sign MoU with BIAL to upgrade connectivity to intl airport

The Bangalore Metro Rail

Corporation Limited and the South Western Railways signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bangalore International Airport Limited on Tuesday in order to upgrade connectivity from Bengaluru to the Kempe Gowda International Airport.

The three key service providers joined hands on Tuesday in the presence of Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, senior bureaucrats of the state government, top functionaries of Railways, BMRCL and the BIAL.

Speaking on the occasion, Yediyurappa emphasised that all the agencies should work in tandem towards achieving the goal of the comprehensive and integrated multi-modal connectivity infrastructure for the new century.

He also thanked the Government of India for supporting these projects.

According to the SWR, the construction of this Railway Station is near completion and is scheduled to be operationalised shortly.

The BIAL is constructing the station and will hand it over to the Indian Railways, which will operate and maintain it.

The BIAL has also decided to provide free shuttle service from the Airport Halt Station to the Terminal and other parts of the Airport, as per the schedule of the train services.

The BMRCL said it will construct the Airport Metro section, along with civil, electro-mechanical, other associated facilities, works and related assets, whereas the BIAL will develop, manage and maintain the two metro stations that will be located within the Airport boundary.

According to the BMRCL, the Metro Rail connectivity to the airport is likely to be commissioned by December 2024.

This Airport section is a part of the total 56 km Metro line named "Outer Ring Road-Airport Metro" from Central Silk Board Junction to Kempe Gowda International Airport, Bengaluru Terminals via KR Puram and Hebbal.

The ORR-Airport Metro is being established by BMRCL at a total estimated cost of Rs 14,844 crore and is likely to serve 7.8 lakh commuters daily.

The two stations within the Airport boundaries are likely to see the daily ridership of 0.6 lakh commuters in 2024, increasing to 1.88 lakh commuters by 2041.

Besides them, the Embassy Group, a leading real estate developer, on Tuesday signed an MoU with BMRCL to construct the Bettahalasur Metro Station with an investment of Rs 140 crore.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Yediyurappa.