CRS for Bangalore

Overview

Per McKinsey report on India’s urbanization to 2030:

  • 590 million people will live in cities, nearly twice the population of US today
  • 270 million people will be the net increase working age population
  • 70% of net new employment will be generated in cities
  • 91 million households will be middle class, up from 22 million today
  • 700-900 million sq mtr of commercial & residential space needs to be built, or a new Chicago every year
  • 2.5 billion sq mtrs of roads will have to be paved, 20 times the capacity created in the past decade
  • 7400 kms of metros & subways will need to be constructed, 20 times the capacity added in the past decade

Bengaluru is a leader in this growth. Per the report, it will have more than 10 million people inhabiting it by 2030, of whom; a majority will be from the middle and lower income group. For them, the urban mobility challenge will only increase as the working population increases and hence, commute will become a major quality of life indicator.

Further, research by Center for Ecological Sciences, IISc, reveals a 76% decline in vegetation cover and a 79% decline in water bodies due to the increase in built up space in the urban areas of Bengaluru. This implies that any further significant  net addition within the urban area will result in a decline in standard of living.

How Bengaluru builds its infrastructure & manages this growth will determine if it will continue to lead in taking the country forward or it will become a failure leading to urban chaos.

Growth Center paradigm

CTTP 2007 commissioned by KUIFDC/IDD of GoK had this to say regarding Commuter Rail on existing tracks “With the development of the huge Multiple Economic Activity Areas like Electronic City, I.T. Parks, Industrial & Commercial Areas with consequent job opportunities on the one hand and availability of comparatively cheaper accommodation in surrounding towns like Hosur, Ramanagaram and Tumkur etc. where a large number of working population is likely to live, substantial of commuter movement between these towns and the Metropolis will take place.”

One critical element of this urban operating model of the future is how cities will make and enforce land & space choices. Housing has already become unaffordable in Bengaluru for the lower and middle classes. No city in India has allocated space and zoning for affordable housing. The housing market has a preference to locate close to commercial/urban spaces to increase the premium the houses can fetch. This increases both, the cost & mixed use urban sprawl. Counter magnet cities, with suburban mass transit, is the best and most effective way to focus on affordable housing for middle & lower income groups who will constitute 75% of the future workforce. Nearby suburban towns were often viewed as best options for setting up industries to release growth pressures on the city to absorb new migrants and to relocate some people from the city. It never happened, because a business ecosystem cannot be artificially replaced or relocated. These suburban cities need to be zoned to take the housing pressure off Bengaluru and this can happen only when the option of traveling to Bengaluru quickly and cheaply becomes a reality.

From the McKinsey report one can gather that, for the first time in India’s history, Karnataka along with other large south Indian states will have more people in its cities than in its villages. This means that the pressure on cities will increase considerably in the future to avoid urban sprawl and still manage their growth. Increasing the area of Bengaluru and making it Bruhat Bengaluru has put undue pressure on civic bodies and made the area difficult to manage. The alternate model is to enable suburban cities to become more attractive destinations for settlers & connect them via mass transit trains to within an approximate one hour commute distance from Bengaluru. 

In the past two decades the state government in co-operation with the central government has attempted a few options to address the urban transportation challenges. Namma Metro, Mono Rail, High Speed Rail to BIAL, rejuvenated BMTC service are all examples. While most of these focus on making commute within Bengaluru city easier, the suburban connect is what will bring dividends in the long run. 

Efficiency in operations, more advanced levels of automation in signaling supplemented by close coordination with local authorities in implementing last mile solutions and superior interchange with metro is going to determine the success of the Commuter rail.

The rest of this report will provide recommendations to ensure that the Commuter Rail can be implemented successfully and be counted amongst the best in the world.

2. CRS - What and Where? 

Commuter Rail Service

Objective: Train services connecting suburban growth centers within 1 hour travel distance to Bangalore consisting of disabled friendly airconditioned trains running on existing tracks doubled or quadrupled to ensure high frequency of greater than 20 trains per day between each source destination pair

The Railways vision 2020 plan had this to say about railways vision for suburban rail "Partnerships with State and City Authorities will be established to augment the infrastructure and manage suburban services under a single management. Both suburban and long-distance trains must also look smart and colourful, reflecting our belief in and commitment to ‘Change for a better tomorrow’"

CRS Historical journey

  • 1983, Southern Railway team recommends 3 commuter rail lines, and a 58-km ring railway over a 25-year period.

  • 1988, RITES transport study report, among other things & also improvements on commuter rail lines

  • In 1993, the State established committee to look into mass rapid transit recommended the same circular railway  put forward by Southern Railways in 1983
  • 1998 – RITES does survey for Local Trains funded by World Bank
  • 2003 – RITES completes survey for Local Trains for State Govt
  • 2007 - RITES does survey for Local Trains for BMLTA/IDD department for CTTP2007 Bengaluru
  • Jan 2008 – IDD agrees to fund for two Rakes DEMU services
  • Nov 2009 – BMLTA assigns work to IDD to study Commuter Rail servicesconnecting all peripheral stations
  • 14 Dec 2009 – SWR finally agrees to start few Local Trains to Anekal/Devanhallai, Kengeri as per the BMLTA meeting
  • Dec 2009 – MoS Shri K H Muniyappa makes press briefing that State Govt is not yet decided on Local Trains / Commuter Rail Services
  • 2 Jan 2010 – MoS Shri K H Muniyappa makes announcement starting of Local Trains between Yeshwanthpur to Anekal and Devanahalli
  • Feb 2010 – Bengaluru South MP Shri H N Ananth Kumar request the MoS Railways to take up the Local Train facility similar to Mumbai
  • 3 Mar 2010 – CM of Karnataka Shri Yeddyurappa writes letter to Railway Minister to sanction the Local Train Project with 50% project cost to be contributed by State Govt.
     

After 27 years Bengaluru is still waiting for a full fledged commuter rail service

CTTP Map

 

2.1 Target growth centers for Commuter Rail

2.1.1. Hosur: Distance: 40kms; Population: >1.5 lakhs; Magnets: Anekal Pop:> 0.5 lakh, Electronic City Pop> 3 lakhs

2.1.2. Ramanagara: Distance: 50 kms; Population: >1 lakh; Magnets: Kengeri pop: >0.5 lakh

2.1.3 Tumkur: Distance: 70 kms; Population: > 30 lakhs; Magnets: Nelamangala pop: >0.5 lakh; Peenya & other industrial belts

2.1.4 Chickballapur: Distance: 70 kms; Population: > 0.7 lakh; Magnets: Devanahalli > 0.4 lakh: ITIR

2.1.5 Dodballapur: Distance: 40; Population: > 0.9 lakh; Magnets: Yelahanka > 3 lakhs: Dodballapur Indl area

2.1.6 Bangarpet: Distance: 90 kms; Population: > 0.5 lakh; Magnets: Whitefield, KIADB

2.2. Hubs

2.2.1 Yeswantpur - CRS West Hub

2.2.2 Byappanahalli (Benninganahalli) - CRS East Hub

2.2.3 Yelahanka - CRS North Hub

With trains from Yeswantpur towards Chickballapur & from Byappanahalli towards Dodballapur converging here Yelahanka is well positioned to be the CRS North hub. It serves major industrial regions of ITIR, DBP, BIA & Dodballapur. With a stop for HSRL also, this station needs to be developed into a multifunctional hub and taken up on the lines of Yeswantpur & Byappanahalli.

2.3. CRS Routes

2.3.1 Yeswantpur - Yelahanka - Devanahalli - Chickballapur

2.3.2 Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) - Jakkur - Yelahanka - Doddballapur

2.3.3 Yeswantpur - Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) - Anekal - Hosur

2.3.4 Tumkur/Nelamangala - Yeswantpur - Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli)

2.3.5 Yeswantpur/Yelahanka - Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) - Whitefield - Malur - Bangarpet

2.3.6 Yelahanka - Yeshwantpur - NICE PRR/City - Kengeri - Ramanagara

2.4. Commuter Rail Segments

 2.4.1 Yeswantpur to Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) segment

 

Station

Catchment Wards/Area

Population in ,000

Yeshwantpur

17

35

 

37

36

 

42

26

 

44

34

Lottegolahalli

36

36

 

18

26

 

35

30

Hebbal

19

24

 

20

26

 

21

24

 

8

22

Banaswadi

49

32

 

59

36

 

28

35

Total Coverage

 

422

No Station

22

26

 

23

35

 

32

27

 

30

35

 

60

35

 

50

32

 

56

29

 

57

30

Total Uncovered

 

249

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 6.71 lakh people 37.1% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations:

  1. Gokula Extension/Badappa Gardens
  2. ORR/D Rajagopal Rd Junction
  3. Guddadahalli
  4. Kanakanagar
  5. Irshad Nagar/HBR Layout
  6. Kadugondhalli

2.4.2 Byappanahalli to Hosur

 

Station

Catchment Wards/Area

Population in ,000

Bellandur

149

25

Karmelrama

150

20

 

Sarjapur

20

Heelalige

Bommasandra

20

Anekal road

Anekal+Jigani+Attibele

200

Hosur

Hosur

200

Total Coverage

 

485

No Station

81

25

 

85

22

 

86

23

Total Uncovered

 

70

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 5.55 lakh people 12.6% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Angel Arcade/Kagagadasapuram
  2. ORR Jn @ Karthik Nagar
  3. Varthur Rd Junction / Chinnapanahalli
  4. Chandapur

2.4.3 Byappanahalli to Yelahanka segment 

 

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Baiyappanhalli 50 31
Channasandra 26 22
Yelahanka 4 25
     
Total Coverage   78
                           
No Station Horamavu 28
  Hennur- Bagalur Rd 25
  Thanisandra Rd 25
  Jakkur 15
   NH7 Junction @ Nehru Nagar 10
Total Not Covered   103

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 1.81 lakh people 56.9% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Horamavu
  2. Hennur - Bagalur Rd
  3. Thanisandra Main Road / Narayanpura
  4. Jakkur
  5. Nehru Nagar / NH-7 Junction

2.4.4 Yeshwantpur to Yelahanka Segment

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Yeshwantpur   37 35
Lottegollahalli 8 10
Kodigehalli 9 12
Yelahanka   10
     
Total Coverage   67
     
No Station Gokula Extension (36) 35
  BEL /Devi Nagar 10
  Tata Nagar 10
  CQAL Layout 10
  L & T /ALLalsandra Mn Rd 10
  Jakkur 40
  Yelahanka Tn (3, 4) 49
     
Total Not Covered   164

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 2.31 lakh people 70% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Gokula Extension
  2. BEL /Devi Nagar
  3. Tata Nagar
  4. CQAL Layout
  5. L & T /ALLalsandra Mn Rd
  6. Jakkur
  7. Yelahanka Town

2.4.5 Yelahanka to Dodballapur

 

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Yelahanka 3, 4 50
Rajankunte   10
Doddaballapur   70
     
Total Coverage   130
     
No Station    
  Yelahanka Tn 10
  Kanchanhalli 20
  Naganahalli 10
  Harohalli 25
  Puttenhalli 15
Total Not Covered   80

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 2.1 lakh people 38.2% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Kenchanhalli
  2. Naganahalli / Harohalli
  3. Putenhalli
  4. Doddaballapur Industrial Town

2.4.6 Yelahanka to Chickballapur

 

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Yelahanka 3, 4 49
Bettahalsoor Sonnapanhalli, MVIT, Ganganahalli 20
Daddajala   10
Devenahalli   78
Avati   37
Venkatgiri Kote   10
Nandi Hills   10
Chik Ballapur   62
     
Total Coverage   276
     
No Station    
  Yelahanka Tn 10
  Kanchanhalli 20
  Doddasandra 10
  BIAL 25
  MVIT, Sonappanhalli, Ganganahalli 15
Total Not Covered   80

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 2.76 lakh people 28.9% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Kenchanhalli
  2. NITTE Meenakshi Institute of Technology
  3. MVIT / Ganganahalli
  4. NH-7/BIAL trumpet
  5. IVC Road
  6. SJCIT (Chikballapur)

2.4.7 Yeswantpur to Tumkur segment 

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Yeshwantpur   37, 45, 36, 17 141
Chik Banavara   164
Soldevanahalli   5
Golhalli   74
Bhairanayakanhalli   5
Dodbele   5
Muddalingahalli   5
Nidvanda   5
Dobbspet   25
Hirehalli   5
Kyatsandra   162
Tumkur   248
     
Total Coverage   844
     
No Station 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 162
  41 27
  Tarabandahalli 10
  Hesrghatta 5
  Nelamangala Cross 10
  Thayamogundlu 10
Total Not Covered   224

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 10.68 lakh people 20.97% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. ORR Junction at Peenya/Jalahalli
  2. HMT Main Road Junction
  3. Jalahalli Road
  4. Kammgondahalli
  5. Chikkasandra
  6. Hesarghatta Road /Tarabandahalli
  7. Shreyas Arcade
  8. NH207 Junction
  9. Dobbspet
  10. Siddaganga Institute of Technology

2.4.8 Yeswantpur to Ramanagaram segment

 

Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
Yeshwantpur   37, 44, 36 104
Malleswaram 45,66 70
Bangalore City 120, 121 70
Nayandhalli   22
Jnana Bharati  (BU)   25
Kengeri   42
Hejjala   22
Bidadi   50
Ketohalli   12
Ramanagaram   80
     
     
Total Coverage   497
     
No Station RVCE/Duvasapalya 40
  NICE Rd Intersection 25
  Country Club 20
  Humpa Pura/RK Estates 10
  Kumbalgodu 10
  Ghousia College                           15
Total Not Covered   120

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 6.12 lakh people 24.96% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. Subramanyam Nagar
  2. Srirampura
  3. Binnypet
  4. RPC layout
  5. Basaveshwara Park / Chord Road
  6. Deepanjali Metro Station
  7. Sports Authority of India
  8. Rajarajeswari Dental College
  9. Humpapur / Rakumar Estate
  10. Ghousia College of Engineering

2.4.9 Baiyappanhalli to Malur/Bangarapet segment

  Station Catchment Wards/Area Population in ,000
  Baiyappanhalli 50, 58 66
  K R Puram 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 120
  Whitefield 83, 84, 85 69
  Malur   27
  Byatrayanhalli                         10                     
  Tekal                                       10
  Bangarapet                                       40
  Total Coverage   342
       
  No Station Garudachar Palya 20
    Kadugodi 22
    NH 207 Junction 10
    Tarabhalli 10
    SH 95 Junction 5
  Total Not Covered   67

As seen from the above table, out of the total catchment of 4 lakh people 16% of the population along the route do not have access to the service because of lack of station in the vicinity

In order to ensure full coverage the following stations are proposed along the route

Proposed additional stations

  1. ITI Industrial Area
  2. Hoodi Main Road
  3. Kdigehalli
  4. NH-207
  5. Tarabhalli
  6. Malur KIADB

3 Proposition

3.1 Phase 1

3.1.1 Setup of SPV (3 months)

Thus it is highly recommended that the Suburban CRS be run under an SPV called Commuter Rail Authority (CRA) which will consist at a bare minimum the following stake holders

  1. SWR representing IR
  2. IDD representing GoK
  3. BMTC representing last mile
  4. BMRC representing metro integration

It is important the the SPV be setup first so the implementation can be done in an organized fashion. Without this each decision will be made in a disjointed fashion leading to delays in implementation and unsatisfactory end results

In 2007, the Rail India Technical and Economic Society (RITES), a Government of India enterprise, brought out a Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan (CTTP) for Bangalore. The report states that “Major developments have been proposed in the suburban towns of Bangalore by BMRDA in the BMR. This is likely to increase interaction betweenBangalore and these suburban towns. There will be need to provide commuter rail services to these towns fromBangalore”. It also says that the commuter rail system should be extended up to BMRDA’s new townships and beyond to act as sub-urban services. 

It also goes on to state “In the suburban segment, the main challenges are the creation of adequate capacity, segregation of commuter lines from long-distance lines and expansion of services to ensure comfort of commuters. Partnership with state authorities will be necessary for development of suburban rail systems. Railways may also aim at integrating the metro-rail and sub-urban rail-systems under a single management in partnership with the respective state/city authorities.”

3.1.2 Enhance accessibility to existing stations (3 months )

The railway vision plan 2020 says this on stations "However, the stations are inadequately designed and equipped to handle such large multitudes of passengers. They do not provide easy access or comfortable experience prior to boarding or after disembarkation from trains. Street-level access is generally restricted to one or two end-platforms (except at terminal type of station layouts). Inter-platform connectivity is through foot over-bridges which are often inadequate, apart from being passenger-unfriendly"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Supporting infrastructure for the Feeder Service BMTC - Proper Bus Stop, Info panels
  • Preferential Access Point for Public Transport Drop Off/Pick up - Taxis, Cabs, Auto
  • Preferential Parking Spaces for Environmental Friendly Vehicles like Bicycles
  • General Security 24/7 around station and access roads

3.1.3 Last mile connectivity (3 months)

Rolling Stock features

It is very important that in order to make Commuter Rail useful and viable, it has to have the tight integration with city’s PT systems. Integration with other PT systems provides the commuter with point to point connectivity right from the town outside
Bengaluru to the specific location in the city. The Integration could range from Commuter Rail station at the same physical location to Commuter Rail station being little walking distance to other PT transit stations. Carriages having facilities
to carry cycles will go a long way in helping promote green last mile options. It also benefits the economically weaker
sections to save on the total cost of commuting

BMTC Connection

The lack of a proper last mile connectivity has been a major reason for failure of usage of CRS in many cities. BMTC needs to support CRS by providing the feeder service to all the CRS stops/stations in the BMTC operational area. The feeder service at bare minimum should connect the CRS stations to the nearest BMTC transit center. Looking at BMTC footprint this should be easy proposition. All it may require is some change in the route or could be an exclusive feeder loop connecting the station and the nearest transit center. Acceptance of Common Fare Card for easy transfer would be highly required and beneficial to all.

3.1.4 Upgrade stations (Smart Stations) to have common branding & facilities (3 months)

Common branding enables common facilities to be offered under single roof. It is administratively easier to provide information and services. This requires the current SWR services to destinations in the commuter rail target list also to be
rolled into the ambit of commuter rail. SWR trains to destinations like Bangarpet, Hosur and nearby towns can become Commuter rail services thus enabling common ticketing schemes and timetable sharing. This inorganic acquisition of existing services will help scale the Commuter Rail services faster.

 Information Systems

  • Electronic Information Displays - Announcing Arrivals/Departures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Electronic / Manual Information Counter - Information on nearest transit centers, Business Centers, Hotels/Restaurants etc,

Fare Tickets / Smart Cards

 The Railways vision plan also mentions "Distribution channels for railway tickets would be constantly innovated so that obtaining a railway ticket is completely hassle-free. PRS/UTS terminals, e-ticket services, tickets through post offices, ATMs, petrol pumps and smart-card based tickets for unreserved travel would be expanded to improve access. New and emerging technologies will be harnessed towards this end"

  • Fare Tickets/Smart Cards Vending Kiosks (Self Service)
  • Fare Tickets/Smart Cards Vending Counters (Manned)

 

Common ticketing system between CRS, Metro & BMTC must be formed

 Basic Commuter Amenities

Availability of basic commuter amenities is a must for the success of the Commuter Rail and increased patronage. Below listed are these basic commuter amenities:

  • CRS Travel Information/Planning Kiosks
  • Customer Service - Telephone/Manned
  • Clean and Hygienically maintained Restrooms
  • Internet Hot-Spots
  • Charging outlets for mobile devices
  • First Aid Counter
  • ATM / Postal Vending Kiosks
  • Help for Physically Handicapped, Senior Citizens, Women with Children

Bulk Goods Transportation Facilities

The towns located around Bengaluru city are the growth centers and Commuter Rail is their smart life line for their regular commute, business trips, goods transport from and to their towns. CR can facilitate the goods transportation by having rakes for carrying bulk goods and products. One good example is seen in Mumbai's local service, where each train has a special bogey exclusively for carrying bulk goods.


3.1.5 Optimized routing of existing SWR services to create bandwidth (6 months)

Following trains which are currently running as slow/passenger trains needs to be brought into the ambit of CR.

Sr No Train No From Station Dep To Station Arr. Type of Train Remarks  
Following Trains to be completely converted into EMU coaches on Bangalore to Bangarapet for Commutre Rail  
1 526SW Bangalore City 7:00 Marikuppam 9:35 Passenger Starting Only 16 Kms extra & 5 more stations exists
  102SW Bangalore City 9:20 Bangarapet junction 11:00 Passenger This train is SBC- Arakkonam Junction  
2 530SW Bangalore City 10:00 Bangarapet junction 12:05 Passenger Pair for 529SW, wasting 20 minites at Bangalore city  
3 511SW Bangalore City 12:20 Marikuppam 15:15 Passenger Pair for 512SW, wasting 100 minites at Bangalore city  
4 532SW Bangalore City 14:45 Bangarapet junction 16:25 Passenger Pair for 531SW, wasting 15 minites at Bangalore city  
5 503SW Bangalore Cantt. 15:00 Bangarapet junction 17:05 Passenger    
6 524SW Bangalore City 18:05 Marikuppam 20:35 Passenger Pair for 525SW, wasting 15 minites at Bangalore city  
7 6522 Bangalore City 19:35 Bangarapet junction 21:10 Express    
                 
8 523SW Marikuppam 6:20 Bangalore City 9:15 Passenger Starting  
9 529SW Bangarapet junction 7:30 Bangalore City 9:30 Passenger Starting  
10 512SW Marikuppam 8:00 Bangalore City 10:30 Passenger Starting  
11 502SW Bangarapet junction 11:00 Bangalore Cantt. 13:00 Passenger    
12 531SW Bangarapet junction 12:40 Bangalore City 14:25 Passenger Pair for 530SW, wasting 30 minites at Bangarpet Jn  
13 525SW Marikuppam 14:00 Bangalore City 17:00 Passenger    
  101SW Bangarapet junction 16:30 Bangalore City 18:45 Passenger This train is Arakkonam Junction - SBC   
14 6521 Bangarapet junction 21:40 Bangalore City 23:25 Express Pair for 6522, wasting 20 minites at Bangarpet Jn  
Total 7 + 1 pair of  Passanger trains  & one express Trains running between Bangalore city to Bangarpet excluding Arakkonam can be converted into Commuter Rail  
                 
Following Trains need to be convereted into Commtre Rail once Electrification of Tracks completed ( after 6 months )  
1 551SW Bangalore City 8:40 Chikballapur 10:50 Passenger    
2 595Sw Bangalore City 18:00 Chikballapur 19:55 Passenger    
3 596SW Chikballapur 7:55 Bangalore City 9:45 Passenger    
4 552SW Chikballapur 15:55 Bangalore City 18:00 Passenger    
5 YH-1 Yesvanthpur 6:20 Hosur 7:55 Passenger    
6 YH-2 Yesvanthpur 15:35 Hosur 17:05 Passenger    
7 YD-1 Yesvanthpur 10:40 Devanhallai 11:45 Passenger    
8 HY-1 Hosur 8:10 Yesvanthpur 9:50 Passenger    
9 HY-2 Hosur 17:45 Yesvanthpur 19:20 Passenger    
10 DY-1 Devanhallai 13:15 Yesvanthpur 14:35 Passenger    
11 221Sw Bangalore City 9:20 Tumkur 11:05 Passenger    
12 225SW Bangalore City 13:35 Tumkur 15:25 Passenger    
13 226SW Tumkur 15:50 Bangalore City 17:40 Passenger    
14 222SW Tumkur 11:25 Bangalore City 13:15 Passenger    
Another 7 Pair of Trains tol be converted into EMU Rakes after electrification of Tracks  and to be added into Commuter Rail  
Effectively existing 14 pair of Trains should be running as Commuter Rail within 6-12 months and more services to be introduced by utilizing the capacity of Traks and Rakes.  
We can have Fast Commuter Rail similar to SBC - Bangarpet  

3.1.6 New services on identified routes including creating last mile connectivity (6 months)

3.1.7 Increase frequency on all routes to minimum 8 services in a day (6 months)

 

3.2 Phase 2

3.2.1 New signaling system (12 months)

3.2.2 New identified stations on all routes (18 months)

New Stations are listed in the section 2.4.1 to 2.4.9

3.2.3 Doubling & Electrification of tracks as necessary (18 months)

 
Sr No  Segment  Distance in Kms Doubling Needed Electrification Needed Status / Remarks  
1 Yelahanka to Yesavnthpur 12.45 Yes Done Already Railway Budget Sanctioned, DPR is ready, Tenders to be called  
2 Yelahanka to K R Puram 15.80 Yes Done Already Railway Budget Sanctioned, DPR is ready, Tenders to be called  
3 Yelahanka to Chikballapur     46.05 Yes Yes    
4 Yelahanka to Dodballapur 20.72 Yes Yes    
5 Yesavnthpur to Banaswadi 14.76 Yes Done    
6 Banaswadi to Hosur  51.36 Yes Yes    
7 Banswadi to Baiyyappanahalli 4.47 Yes Done    
8 Yesvanthpur to Soldevanhalli 10.78 No Yes    
9 Soladevanhalli  to Nelamngala & upto NH-4 8.00 / 10.00 Yes Yes    
10 Soladevanhalli  to Tumkur 53.22 No Yes    
11 Kengeri to Ramanagaram 32.43 No Yes As part of Bangalore to Mysore Doubling & Electrification, this streach electrification will be done at time. Need to check current status of electrification
    270.04        
  From the above Double Track Exists  : 96.43 Kms        
  From the above Electrified Track exists  : 47.48 Kms        
  Total Track Doubling Needed :  173.61 Kms        
  Electrification Needed : 222.56 Kms To check Electrification for 32.43 Kms of Kengeri to Ramangaram  
             
             
  In the above   Yelahanka to Yesavnthpur,  Yelahanka to K R Puram, Yesvanthpur to Banaswadi Doubling of Track Dist : 43 Kms are very critical for  Commuter Rail take off.
 

3.2.5 Increase frequency to 20 trains per day on all routes (24 months)

3.2.6 Enhance Hubs to handle increased traffic (24 months )

3.2.7 Complete integration with all modes of PT systems including metro/mono/HSRL (24 months) 7 Smart Public Transport Connections

All over the world, the trend in public transport system is to integrate all modes of PT systems. Gone are the days when each one of them operated in complete isolation. In India also this integration philosophy is slowly picking up steam though have long way to go.

It is very important that in order to make CRS useful and viable, it has to have the tight integration with city’s PT systems. Integration with other PT systems provides the commuter with point to point connectivity right from the town outside Bengaluru to the specific location in the city.

The Integration could range from CRS station at the same physical location to CRS station being little walking distance to other PT transit stations. Simple access connectivity connectivity can be like this.

Metro Connection

Fortunately Namma Metro intersects the IR routes at many places in the city. CRS simply needs to integrate with Namma Metro at these locations, i.e provide easy interchange. Some of the locations that can provide easy transit include:

  1. Yeshwantpur
  2. Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli)
  3. Kengeri
  4. Whitefield

HSRL Connection

Exclusive connectivity to the new airport via high speed rail as an when becomes operational also provides the opportunity for CRS to integrate with HSRL thereby providing the commuters from the nearby towns another PT connection to reach the new airport and vice versa. Interchange with HSRL needs to be provided at both Yelahanka and Hebbal.

 

Summary

 

35 new proposed stations

160 is the possible number of services per day on all routes suggested for optimum efficiency

376 Kilometers is the approximate distance covered by the proposed routes

1,50,000 is the carrying capacity per day which can be increased by adding rakes

45,00,000 is the number of people in the catchment areas covered by the current SWR tracks

33% is the percentage of the population in the catchment areas who need access to a local station

2010 is the year for Commuter Rail in Bengaluru

SPV is the way to go for rolling out commuter services with all stakeholders being a part of this entity working together to make this a success

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Comments

Doubt if this will convince

Any recent updates on usage stats available for the suburban services in operation (ie. to Devanahalli & Hosur) ? They were in small percentages of available capacity (about a month ago). With this reality, it would be hard to justify CRS for suburban use as the main goal, despite possible future scenarios detailed in the McKinsey report, & particularly when histories in all other cities do not support the theory.

As reference, CTTP had detailed flwg CRS routes in phase-1:  Kengeri-Banglore City Station (13.0km);  Kengeri-BMA Boundary (9.0km);  Bangalore City Station-Whitefield (24.0km);   & BMA Boundary-Ramanagaram (23.0km).

The Metro (in ph-2) is proposed to be extended to run up to Kengeri. Thus, the case for CRS to Kengeri becomes weak. The only suburban service (ie. skip-stop services) that remains out of those recommended by CTTP ph-1  is to Ramnagaram (others were urban to supplement the Metro).

The total route length being proposed here is in excess of 750km (including a new line) - all in about 5 years - nearly four times the 204km recommended by CTTP till 2025 !

I think if the vision for CRS is centered principally as a service for suburban commuting needs to build up the case ("not the Metro for Bangalore"), it might not find takers & runs the risk of being ignored by IDD /SWR. 

I feel it would be more realistic to choose the many urban segments (those not going to be covered by Metro or Mono) & build up a case for them first instead of going all out for suburban services to so many far flung towns & areas in several directions (This explains why patronage is so poor on operational routes - they run the risk of a rollback with suspension). I think once these short urban services have stabilized, routes should be gradually extended to peripheries & suburbs.

I think the principal goal is

diluting the potential objectives for CRS with this assumption

It is not an assumption. It is a goal. The main goal of commuter rail.

I think the principal goal is of course to reduce loads on the roads of Bangalore urban

No the vision is larger, this is not the metro for Bangalore this is the commuter rail for the suburbs, see overview

even for those that use Metro (or Mono) - they could use CRS to reach destinations not serviced by Metro /Mono

Yes and it does not conflict with the objective I have stated

 Suburban use of CRS can only be an "added attraction"

There is no metro for suburban use hence this is the main attraction. The Bangalore of tomorrow cannot exist without this suburban connection. It will disintegrate on the load.

The reason is not difficult to fathom - difficult access to stations, poor frequency & severe limitations for pickup & dropoff points.

All have been mentioned in the report

As it is, they are reluctant to improve /double the tracks or build new stations

SPV is needed to bring this focus. 

justifying the need for an SPV 

It is already agreed to by IR in their Vision 2020 document. We are only emphasising the urgency & structure. Time for them to put their money where their mouth is.

More to CRS than just Suburban

Went through the attachments - eight of them (any more ?). The 'meat' for the proposal is all in there, no doubt, but still a lot more needs to be done, I guess. No clear maps yet, except for a rough pdf sketch. I think bringing up short-term inconveniences such as Metro /fly-over construction also as reasons to justify CRS might only prove counter-productive - some overlap of points (mentioned more than once) & phrasing could be improved too.

Further, you are diluting the potential objectives for CRS with this assumption :

has a goal different from Metro or Mono. It is to help people live in the growth centers where housing is relatively cheaper and still be able to commute to the city. 

I think the principal goal is of course to reduce loads on the roads of Bangalore urban, whilst fast /efficient transport to areas not serviced by Metro /Mono would be the second objective even for those that use Metro (or Mono) - they could use CRS to reach destinations not serviced by Metro /Mono. It is for this reason that it is very necessary to pinpoint where exactly new CRS stations should be located to provide interchanges.

Noticed that you mentioned about smart cards for common ticketing: all the more reason why inter-change stations need to be marked on a clear map that suggests how easily this could be done. Suburban use of CRS can only be an "added attraction" - we saw how few people there were on our train ride to Hosur. The reason is not difficult to fathom - difficult access to stations, poor frequency & severe limitations for pickup & dropoff points.

For starters, I don't think the proposal for an entirely new line (between Yeswantapur & Kengeri) will have support from either SWR or IDD. As it is, they are reluctant to improve /double the tracks or build new stations - since the assumption is that the project will lose money (similar to all other CRS in the country).

Thus, the package to provide would have to be a convincing one from the point of view of increasing patronization levels - & justifying the need for an SPV or some such entity to run services since there could never be enough thrust from SWR since they will be governed by IR which is sold to the idea that CRS like operations can never be made successful (the way they run it would never see success!).

 feel that unless ideas &

 feel that unless ideas & suggestions that include addressing urban commuters' needs & possibilities

The proposal adresses all needs of commuters living in the SWR track catchment area. Everybody else has access to metro or mono or BMTC or anything else that may be built for Bangalore city. Commuter Rail has a goal different from Metro or Mono. It is to help people live in the growth centers where housing is relatively cheaper and still be able to commute to the city. 

I think the proposal must include a plan for many new urban stations

Its already in there (right now TBD), the new stations are in one of the attachments in this project, Sanjeev is helping Syed place them in the appropriate segments. You can take a look at them and let us know if any station is missed.

There is no proposal for a line between Yelahanka & Kengeri

The report proposes a line (dotted red) which bypasses the city, can be laid on either the PRR or along NICE road and join Tumkur line directly to Yeshwantpur. Until this new line comes up the only way to reach Yeshwantpur from Ramanagara is via the city.

CRS plan - include urban stations

CRS plan - include urban stations

Lot of ward data has been quoted after quite some referencing, but I'm not entirely certain this would be sufficient to convince SWR /IDD about the need for dedicated /frequent services along the routes proposed without detailing ideas for urban stations & access.

I feel that unless ideas & suggestions that include addressing urban commuters' needs & possibilities, the authorities might not bite & SWR can turn around & say that they are already operating suficient services based on demand, & that if & when demand increases, they would scale up accordingly.

In this context, I think the proposal must include a plan for many new urban stations such as the ones previously discussed that must be easy & convenient for commuters as well as for BMTC to reach & run buses to (or be close to Metro /Mono stations).

There is no proposal for a line between Yelahanka & Kengeri. The new lines planned are between Kengeri & Chamarajanagar (via Kanakapura), & between Chikbanavar & Hassan (via Kunigal) - as per SWR map.

Pls advise what help is reqd - I can do some work in my spare time ! 

Need help with a schematic

Need help with a schematic map for the CRS routes. Any volunteers? TIA

Change in the route

IDS,

As discussed on the route / destinations, I feel we need to make following changes :

2.3.2   Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) - Jakkur - Yelahanka - Doddballapur

This should start from Hosur -Byappanahalli(Benninganahalli) - Jakkur - Yelahanka - Doddballapur  as from Hosure we have only  segment to Yesvanthpur

Add the one more route as : 2.3.7  Nelamangala  - Yeswantpur - Kengeri - Bidadi,  

Sanjeev

CRS Wiki has been updated with lot of MEAT!

IDS, Sanjeev,

CRS wiki has been updated with all the route/stations list along with catchments areas and their population. I think it has all the basic information one would look for. I would suggest that the Wiki content to be reviewed thoroughly and made into a PRAJA demand report ASAP. As SB suggested we should shoot for June 15 for the 1st formal version and setup the meeting accordingly.

If IDD requests for more detailed information, we could hire somebody to do the detailed report for next round of meetings/seminar.

BTW, is the Wed meet ON?

Syed

CRS wiki has been updated with proposed route info!

IDS,

Route/Station for YPR-CBP, YPR-DPR and BYP-CBP has been added. I think it is time we collate all the wiki info into a nice report.

Syed

@SB - The approach is to connect the nearby towns

SB,
 IDS and myself are trying to project demand for CRS as the connecting nearby towns to B'lore.Not extending B'lore to these towns.

Message being CRS is the way to provide reliable, low cost connectivity to help people travel from these towns and vice-versa for jobs, business, transporting agri products and industrial products.

Hope this would find resonance with IDD, SWR and GOK.

Syed

Good going, esp the ward based approach

Looked at the structure. Great going. Ward and destination based approach with catchment data estimate should make for a niced presentation than only talking routes and possibilities in english.

Just like you have done in this outline (in the wiki above) I'd say that for now, let us keep 100% clear of how GoK, Railways etc need to work together and things like that. That is next step, and is anyway an area where Madhu and SWR DRM will know a lot more (jurisdiction complexities, acts that need to be touched etc etc) than what we could tell them.

Wiki update

Need some help with the additional station list and existing station list to be populated in the appropriate segments. 

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