It is not just to save on travel time; a large number of motorists have started using the newly opened alternative road to Kempegowda International Airport to avoid paying toll on their way back from the airport. The toll fee was hiked from ₹125 to ₹130 for the return journey for car users, effective from Sunday.
Airport commuters have started taking the alternative road to go to areas in east Bengaluru, such as K.R. Puram, Whitefield, Sarjapur and even Hoskote. In fact, over 5,000 vehicles used the road within two days of its opening last month.
Vehicles plying towards the airport are charged the toll on their way back from the airport. By skipping the ride back on NH 44, commuters are able to avoid paying toll entirely.
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The number of users of the toll-free alternative road is likely to increase in the coming days, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has increased the toll fee for using NH 44 to the airport. A return journey costs ₹130 for car users and a single journey costs ₹85, though the single journey toll has not yet been implemented for security reasons.
An official from the Public Works Department (PWD) said their officials on the field have calculated that a majority of the motorists are using the road to return from KIA. “In the first two days after the road was opened, 5,000 to 6,000 vehicles used the alternative road to exit the airport. But the number of vehicles using the road to reach the airport is between 2,000 and 3,000. The number of entry vehicles (towards KIA) will increase after the NHAI starts collecting toll fee for single journey. A majority of the vehicles using the road are taxis.”
Praveen M., a driver with a travel agency who has started using the alternative road, said, “We are saving a lot of time as we can avoid major gridlocks such as Hebbal. In the peak hours, taking the left turn from Hebbal to move towards K.R. Puram is a pain as all the vehicles heading towards city block the road near Esteem Mall.”
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‘Considerable difference’
Kiran Joseph, a regular flyer, said: “I am a resident of Whitefield. My travel time to reach the airport has come down considerably, at least by half hour, after this road was opened. ”
It has also become common to see a long line of taxis parked on either side of the new road. “Parking the vehicle near the airport costs too much. I park my vehicle on the new road. The moment I get a booking, I go to the airport to pick up passengers,” said a driver.
Interestingly, locals have put up a banner ‘naming’ the circle as ‘Galamma Circle Begur’. There is also a demand that the government complete widening the road from Begur to Mylanahalli, which is around 2.15 km.
Additional Chief Secretary of PWD M. Lakshminarayana said, “The newly opened road has been well-received by the public. Remaining work on developing the connecting roads will be completed in the coming months. Development of roads is not being done keeping in mind only air passengers, but also the locals.”
BMTC fares up
After the NHAI decided to increase the toll fee with effect from Sunday, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has increased the fare in buses via Sadahalli toll plaza to various destinations, including the airport. The bus fare has been increased by ₹1 for daily tickets and ₹30 for monthly pass.
“Increased toll fee has implications on the operational cost and generally, the toll fee burden is shifted on to the passengers,” BMTC managing director V. Ponnuraj said.
The NHAI has increased the single journey fee from ₹260 to ₹270 for buses, round trip fee from ₹385 to ₹405, and monthly pass cost from ₹8,585 to ₹8,945. The corporation usually buys monthly passes to operate buses on the route. The increased bus fare will affect air passengers as well, as a good number of them use monthly bus passes on Vayu Vajra to go the airport.