Electric line standing in wayof alternative road to airport

Delay in shifting an electric line has stalled work on a road connecting the city to the Kempegowda International Airport.

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.

The alternative road connects Hennur and the airport via Bagaluru and Mylanahalli (20.63 km).

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.

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.

The department has requested the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) to shift the line, he said.

"If that is done now, we can open the road by the end of March," he told DH.

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.

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.

BoX

March is new deadline

The government has set a fresh deadline of March so that the road is ready ahead of the Assembly elections in April or May.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier set a February deadline to complete the road.

Sources said Bengaluru development minister K J George is keen to throw open the road before the election code of conduct kicks in.

Hari Marar, CEO of KIA, said the airport would throw open its southwest gates once the road was done.