Indian Infrastructure: Bangalore

May 20, 2013 Posted by India Briefing Reading Time: 3 minutes

May 20 – As the third most populous city in India, Bangalore faces many congestion problems. City officials have worked hard to rectify the situation, investing heavily in the city’s infrastructure, including road and public transportation projects, and the construction of a modern international airport.

Road

Vast improvements to roadways have been achieved in the last few years, as the National Highways Development Project and Bangalore Development Authority have made significant headway on their ambitious projects.

The Hebbal flyover, a 6-lane, 6-loop highway, eases traffic to Bengaluru International Airport, and relieves congestion on the National Highway No. 7. Another road of note is the 62 kilometer outer ring road that connects all major roads and highways in and around Bangalore, and replaces the decade old ring road. Moving further from the core, the 65 kilometer peripheral ring road is under development and will link state and national highways as well as further reduce traffic congestion in the region.

Railway

Connections to major cities by rail can be accessed from 4 stations: Bangalore City, Bangalore Cantonment, Yeshwantpur and Bangalore East. To get to Delhi, the Rajdhani Express and Karnataka Sampark Kranti provide reliable connections.

Bangalore City railway station is an important junction for Indian train travel and sees over 200,000 commuters each day. The South Western Railway division plans to expand the station by adding two platforms to the ten that are currently in place.

City Infrastructure

Bangalore’s Namma Metro began its first phase of construction in October 2011 and has two operational corridors, servicing 42 stops. Phase one of construction is scheduled for completion in early 2014 and will span 42.3 kilometers. Phase two of the development will begin in 2014 with the addition of 72 kilometers of rail and 61 additional stations. A thousand passengers can be carried on each train, significantly reducing traffic from bicycles, rickshaws and cars.

Bus networks are extensive, with services provided by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), a division of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. The city’s high frequency routes are organized in an intuitive way and form a grid around the twelve major roads that run through the city center.

Air

The city’s Bengaluru International Airport, which opened in 2008, is one of the busiest airports in India, servicing 10 domestic airlines and 21 international airlines. The terminal is located 40 kilometers from the center of Bangalore, with an airport shuttle service operated by BMTC connecting the two.

There are ambitious plans for future facilities near the airport terminal, including an “Airport City” by the year 2020. This development will feature a business district and information technology (IT) serviced Special Economic Zone, as well as space for corporate headquarters and offices.

The Bengaluru International Airport’s construction has led to a swift migration of commerce to the northern parts of Bangalore, rising real estate prices, large retail developments breaking ground, and a significant amount of IT and industrial activity attracted to the Manyata Embassy Business Park, an IT Special Economic Zone near the airport.

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