The new Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) is bound to provide respite to residents of North Bangalore and its surroundings, although the corporate and IT sectors functioning out of the Eastern and Southern parts of City are in favour of having two airports, as traversing to BIA could turn out to be a hurdle.
While, it could easily take close to three hours to cover the 55 km journey from the IT hub Whitefield to BIA, a drive from HAL airport to Yeshwantpur is an equally arduous task taking almost two hours to commute, wading through the hustle and bustle of traffic clogged Bangalore. Not surprising this, as the war of words between the champions of the two airports keep continuing over the distance factor.
For a first hand experience, Deccan Herald decided to step into the shoes of the aggrieved commuter and get a feel of what it takes to manoeuvre through buses and trucks and yet reach the destination with a peaceful mind.
As the cab left HAL airport at 8.30 am, hoping to reach Yeshwantpur, a cool 29 kms away in about an hour, the final results left one with the opinion that HAL or BIAL, commuting on the roads of Bengaluru is an experience one would rather do without.
The busy airport road as usual was chock-a-block brimming with traffic in the morning peak hour, as vehicles moved at snail pace, with automated traffic signals along the way turning red just as it appeared that a green signal was visible seconds earlier.
The driver is asked to take a short cut, through Indiranagar, just the avoid the long queue of vehicles in the CBD (Central Business District) of MG and Cubbon Road. But Indiranagar 100 ft Road was no different, what with the ‘Namma Metro’ works taking shape there too.
With utmost patience, the car driver listened this reporter became the navigator and guided the vehicle through Halasur, Benson Town and reached the Doordarshan T V tower in J C Nagar at 9.30 am only to find ourselves being stuck in the same situation, we wanted to avoid at any cost.
As the clock kept ticking, this reporter wanted to reach Yeshwantpur as quickly as possible, hoping to prove the critics of HAL wrong. But, even taking a short cut via R T Nagar, Mathikere, Yeshwantpur was reached with just three minutes to 10.30 am.
Final verdict? Travel travails to either HAL or BIAL takes hours on the roads. Not to mention the precious man hours lost, fuel expenses and energy that could be put to better use, rather than sit in the car and dream about reaching your home/office.
