Written by Umang Saini
on 

Airport

There's been a lot of fuss about Bangalore's new airport - BIAL. Here's what matters the most -

Cost and time taken to reach new BIAL vs. old HAL. I am giving numbers for my house (link) to BIAL (link). Typical distance from residential areas in Bangalore to BIAL is 35 to 60 Kilometers.

Current HAL Airport
  1. Auto - Rs. 133 - 19 km @ Rs. 7 per km
  2. Taxi - Rs. 380 (fixed, pre-paid) (Rs. 290 in morning, Rs. 430 in late night, if it's not pre-paid!)
  3. Time taken - 45 minutes to 1 hour

New BIAL Airport
  1. Bus - Rs. 11 + Rs. 140 (to Jaynagar, and then to BIAL by BMTC's - Air Vajra)
  2. Auto - 53 km - Rs. 371
  3. Taxi - 53 km # Rs. 15/km - Rs. 795
  4. Time taken - 2 hours

Competition -
Indian Railways, KSRTC (bus services) and hopefully HAL.

To Railway Station
  1. Auto - 10 km - Rs. 70
  2. Time - 35 minutes
Summary
  1. If one downgrades from Auto to Bus, reaching BIAL (new airport) costs nearly the same as reaching HAL (old airport)
  2. It takes twice as much time!
  3. Busses go round the clock! Thus if you land after 10PM, you commute is actually cheaper. Rs. 140 + auto charges vs. current Rs. 380 taking a pre-paid taxi from HAL.
If we don't consider the time issue, it is actually cheaper to go to BIAL than going to HAL. Also the new airport has Free Wi-fi, so next time you are flying, you won't mind going a bit early. BIAL seems more spacious and comfortable too, so don't be too disappointed at going to BIAL.

So much for progress.

--
US

P.S - I just can't get over the fact that it took Rs. 2470 crores ($600 million) vs. original estimated cost of Rs. 1411 crores ($ 290 million). The oldest plans were to get this thing running in 2002, it's just 6 years late. That's a sloppy mess for which passengers will have to pay. Pony up.