Industrialists demand airport, train connectivity in Hosur

Given that the Bengaluru International Airport is just 80 km away, industrialists in the town recommend the additional connectivity

This bustling industrial town, the size of whose economy is Rs 3.5 lakh crore according to top businesses based here, is eagerly awaiting air connectivity, besides yearning for direct train connectivity to Chennai, the state capital.

Though there is a view that an airport cannot sustain for long in a city like Hosur given the Bengaluru International Airport is just 80 km away, the industry here gives a thumbs-up to the project. Their argument is that one should not just look at the passenger traffic but also the freight traffic that Hosur can provide to the airport.

The industries in Hosur also say freight train connectivity to the city, especially to Chennai, will ease considerable pressure on the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway, the second busiest in the country. Hundreds of lorries and containers dot the highway transporting goods from Chennai to Hosur and vice-versa.

If train freight is made available, industrialists said, the pressure on the country’s second-busiest highway will come down considerably. The businessmen rue that the Tamil Nadu and Union Governments have not yet paid heed to their long-standing demand for direct train connectivity between Hosur and Chennai.

The Tamil Nadu government is seriously considering developing an airport for Hosur to promote regional connectivity and development and has called for a detailed study on the passenger and freight traffic and the feasibility.

“Hosur will get all the economic benefits of civil aviation and more job opportunities through this proposed airport. With fast, safe, and timely transportation, the development of an airport in Hosur can not only support passenger and cargo movement but also become a gateway to the local economy,” TIDCO Managing Director Pawan Kumar Bansal told DH.

The airport will lead to faster growth of the industry in Hosur and more job creation for Tamil Nadu by giving direct connection to the whole country, accelerating the growth of industry and reducing the cost of logistics, Bansal said.

The study will identify at least three potential sites for setting up the airport, analyse air traffic growth trends in the past decade in nearby airports, forecast future traffic for the next 30 years, and assess the catchment area of the proposed airport and availability of landside road and rail connectivity.

“Passenger traffic alone cannot be considered while planning an airport. There is tremendous potential for freight traffic as many industries here are involved in export and import. An airport in Hosur will help many save cost in terms of sending or receiving their goods,” S Sundariya, Head: Business, Wendt India Ltd and Chairman, Infrastructure Committee, Hosur Industries Association (HIA) told DH.

Agreeing fully with Sundariya, B Senthil Nathan, Chief Financial Officer, First Steps Baby Clothing Private Limited, pushed for direct train connectivity – both passenger and freight traffic – between Hosur and Chennai.

“While an exclusive airport is absolutely necessary given the passenger and freight traffic, the state and Central governments should urgently look at connecting Hosur with Chennai via train. This connectivity can be made through Bengaluru or a separate line linking Hosur with Malur instead of a line through Krishnagiri and Bargur up to Jolarpet,” he said.

Actually, the Hosur-Jolarpet railway line is a necessity to decongest the highway, Senthil Nathan added.

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