Metro route to KIA: the trumpet question

A final decision on the Metro route to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) might be just round the corner. But if it takes the Nagavara-Bagalur route, will the Metro bypass the Trumpet Flyover?

A top Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) official said there is a consensus with the government that the route will indeed be through the trumpet interchange.

However, there is a problem: The Nagavara-Bagalur line, built along the alternative route to the airport, will have to take a big detour towards the existing Airport road leading to the trumpet. The shortest way to reach the airport terminals on the Nagavara-Bagalur-Mylanahalli route would be to head straight from Mylanahalli.

However, citing security concerns, BIAL has ruled out allowing any underground construction below the second runway that runs perpendicular to the route.

Traffic experts have indicated that in terms of cost, the Nagavara route would be the most ideal since it would not entail any land acquisition or road-widening. They are, however, unsure of the Metro’s approach route to the terminal. Exiting the runway at high speeds can free space for more aircraft to land or take off in an hour. The two Rapid Exit Taxiways (RETs) now being built at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here will make that possible from June.

But how rapid will the exit be at KIA that would eventually allow landings / take-offs every 45 seconds? Most airports do not actually have a specific speed limit for taxiing. The general rule is that the obstacles will dictate the limit stipulated by airlines and aircraft manufacturers. The typical taxi speeds range between 20 and 30 knots (37-56 kmph).

The RETs are constructed with their centre lines angled at 30 degrees to the existing runway and the existing parallel taxiway. The taxiways, designed as per Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Code F standards, has a minimum width of 25m and paved shoulders of 17.5m. The airfield ground lighting (AGL) and signage are of Category I (CAT I) standards.