Four days ago, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that it takes just 20 minutes to reach the city centre from the Kempegowda International Airport. The News Minute decided to test this claim and found out that it is indeed possible.
Hailing an Uber from Vidhana Soudha at 12:15 pm, it took just over 44 minutes to reach the airport. But Jagdish, the Uber cab driver revealed that he has made the journey from MG Road to the airport in 20 minutes. “It was 2 am and the commuter was late for a flight, so he asked me to speed up and I managed to reach the airport from here (MG Road) in 20 minutes. There was barely any traffic," he says. Jagdish, however, laughed off suggestions that it was possible to do so during the day. “It is impossible during the day. First you have to get out of the traffic in the centre of the city and there are speed limits after crossing Hebbal from 7 in the morning till 5-30 in the evening," he added.
A BMTC bus journey from Kempegowda International Airport to MG Road took 49 minutes. The Volvo bus driver, who did not wish to be named, estimated that it takes well over an hour to make the same journey in peak traffic hours. “I drive through this route. It takes 1-2 hours easily sometimes due to the traffic in the city. 20 minutes is impossible,” he says.
Google Maps, which uses real-time traffic mapping, shows that the 36.2 km journey from MG Road to KGI Airport takes at least 54 minutes via Bellary Road.
Watch TNM's test-ride here: