<p>Delay in shifting an electric line has stalled work on a road connecting the city to the Kempegowda International Airport.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government began the project in an effort to decongest Ballari Road, Outer Ring Road and the Hebbal flyover, all of which see bottlenecks on the way to the airport.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The alternative road connects Hennur and the airport via Bagaluru and Mylanahalli (20.63 km).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has entrusted the work to its public works department, which is laying a two-km road from Mylanahalli to the airport to establish a last-mile link.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to M Lakshminarayana, additional chief secretary, public works, a 120-kV line supplying power to the airport has turned out to be a hurdle.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department has requested the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) to shift the line, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"If that is done now, we can open the road by the end of March," he told DH.</p>.<p class="bodytext">KPTCL chief engineer B R Chandrashekhar said shifting the line calls for acquisition of land. "But land adjacent to the road is cultivable and fertile, and farmers are protesting," he said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has given its approval to acquire the land. "We will initiate the process and start shifting the line only after providing compensation for the land losers," Chandrashekhar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><br />BoX</p>.<p class="bodytext">March is new deadline</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has set a fresh deadline of March so that the road is ready ahead of the Assembly elections in April or May.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier set a February deadline to complete the road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sources said Bengaluru development minister K J George is keen to throw open the road before the election code of conduct kicks in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Hari Marar, CEO of KIA, said the airport would throw open its southwest gates once the road was done.</p>
<p>Delay in shifting an electric line has stalled work on a road connecting the city to the Kempegowda International Airport.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government began the project in an effort to decongest Ballari Road, Outer Ring Road and the Hebbal flyover, all of which see bottlenecks on the way to the airport.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The alternative road connects Hennur and the airport via Bagaluru and Mylanahalli (20.63 km).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has entrusted the work to its public works department, which is laying a two-km road from Mylanahalli to the airport to establish a last-mile link.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to M Lakshminarayana, additional chief secretary, public works, a 120-kV line supplying power to the airport has turned out to be a hurdle.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The department has requested the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) to shift the line, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"If that is done now, we can open the road by the end of March," he told DH.</p>.<p class="bodytext">KPTCL chief engineer B R Chandrashekhar said shifting the line calls for acquisition of land. "But land adjacent to the road is cultivable and fertile, and farmers are protesting," he said. </p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has given its approval to acquire the land. "We will initiate the process and start shifting the line only after providing compensation for the land losers," Chandrashekhar said.</p>.<p class="bodytext"><br />BoX</p>.<p class="bodytext">March is new deadline</p>.<p class="bodytext">The government has set a fresh deadline of March so that the road is ready ahead of the Assembly elections in April or May.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier set a February deadline to complete the road.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Sources said Bengaluru development minister K J George is keen to throw open the road before the election code of conduct kicks in.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Hari Marar, CEO of KIA, said the airport would throw open its southwest gates once the road was done.</p>
