The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corportation today launched BIAS- 5 A , the much awaited Vayu Vajra bus service to the Bangalore International Airport for the benefit of residents on Bannerghatta Main Road.

Starting from Gottigere on Bannerghatta Main Road ,the BIAS- 5A service would cover the near 47 km journey in about two hours with the maximum fare at Rs 200. For now , six trips are scheduled for BIAL from Gottigere while the return service would number five. The first bus from Gottigere would leave for the airport at 5.40 am and the last one at 9.10 p.m. The return trip from BIAL would start at 5.30 a.m. with the last one at 8.20 p.m.

Flagging off the service at a function under the aegis of the Bannerghatta Neighbourhood Association, BANA, near Royal Meenakshi Mall this morning, M Krishnappa, MLA Bangalore South and Co-Chairman, BMTC, said that BIAS- 5A would cater to the needs of hundreds of professionals from the IT and related sector. These professionals who live on Bannerghatta road, he said, invariably had to depend on private or personal transport to reach the airport. To that extent, the BMTC service would go a long way in easing traffic congestion in the city with more and more people using public transport. Besides, it would prove viable for the users.

According to Yogesh Devaraj, President, BANA, the introduction of the airport services followed requests to Krishnappa and the BMTC. He hoped that once the limited BIAS- 5A gained popularity, BMTC would be able to increase the frequency of the services. Kedar Nayak, General Secretary, BANA, said that the umbrella organization sought to involve the several hundred resident welfare associations on Bannerghatta Main road with a view to improving the available infrastructure. The introduction of BIAS 5A service was one such attempt.⊕