Zoning with respect to the new airport

Now that the airport has been successfully moved, despite the vehement protests from the powerful IT-BT-ITES lobby and various others, the next fear is that these companies will move close to the new airport. As it stands now, I’m not sure how the NH7 and other roads that lead to the new airport are going to deal with the increased traffic. If you add to this traffic generated due to commercial space in the same direction, things can get really bad indeed.

In this regard, it is important that stringent zoning regulations are put in place with respect to the areas around NH7 and the road leading to the airport -? so that there is no addition to the projected heavy traffic on this road.

The area is talking about is fairly large. Consider the angle bisector between NH7 and NH4 (towards Tumkur). Then consider the angle bisector between the NH7 and NH4 (old madras road). The sector bounded by these two angle bisectors is the area where any new development will put further pressure on NH7. The restriction should basically bar any new commercial or residential development in this particular sector. What has been started is done. All that needs to be done is to ensure there is no further pressure on this particular highway.

Ok you may argue that if the companies move closer to the airport, there will be less pressure on the city generated by employees traveling between office and the airport. However, what proportion of employees of an IT/ITES/BT company do you think travel daily? Think about the additional pressure the rest of the employees (who would’ve otherwise not ventured this way) would put on NH7.

This matter of traffic management on this particular route is an extremely sensitive issue and should be handled carefully. Another useful step would be to disincentivize people from using private transport to reach the airport. Once there is enough capacity in the BMTC buses to the airport which can take care of most of the passenger flow, BIAL, NHAI, etc. should even think of collecting a road use fee from private vehicles for the road between the highway and the airport.

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