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Halt massive Bangalore Metro investments, give satellite town connectivity its due first

ಮೇಲೆ
253 users have liked.
Commuter Rail

Have been reading up on Metro's Phase 2A and Phase 3 plans and few thoughts cross my mind.

  • Longer term sustainable growth of Bangalore depends on how we manage growth of BMRDA region and Satellite areas
  • All the focus is on the central city area (loosely speaking, the region bound by Outer Ring Road)
  • Cost of land, freedom to plan development around a planned mass transit - we are losing on these counts in the peripheral areas as the central city area is taking away all the mindshare and investments
  • The immidiate peripheries are, arguably, already hitting into problems of congestion
  • Options like BRTS on major radial roads (NH7, NH4-East, NH4-West, SH16, SH17), or commuter rail with different charectiristics from that of Metro (stations at longer distance, larger carrying capacity, higher average speeds) along the rail routes heading out of the city are rarely being discussed
  • Mobility thoughts for the satellite areas have primarily focused on roads (Satellite Town Ring Road, Peripheral Ring Road, Intermediate Ring Road etc)

Questions that come to my mind

  • Are we losing the plot as far as future of Bangalore is concerned? 
  • Do we, the Bangaloreans prefer transit corridor based spread out metropolitan area that has cost-of-living spread out evenly across the whole area?
  • Or, do we prefer a more dense, more expensive and more exclusive with time central city area with unplanned ribbon development along crowded radial roads beyond the Outer Ring Road?
  • How do we get the attention towards sustainable people mobility investments in these areas beyond ORR?
  • Or shall we not, and just wait for the unplanned development and higher costs (in future) to dictate mobility choices much the same way we are doing today for the central city area (forced to do the expensive Metro)?

Thoughts that I jump to

  • Metro is "fixing" the chaos of today
  • By ignoring to invest in satellite town / Bangalore Rural connectivity through sustainable options, are we unknowingly creating the chaos for tomorrow
  • Could there be a design paradign like this:
    • Metro only inside Outer Ring Road (with a few exceptions)
    • Cheaper options for peripheries and satellite areas, only because they are still an option. 

And I think of money

  • This way or that way, we, the public would be footing big part of the HUGE bill for Metro
  • If we are not, please enlighten and advise why the same financial wizardry is not being applied to solve other areas too?
  • If we are, then what if we demand scrutiny on the justifications for spending that money on taking Metro beyond Outer Ring Road when cheaper options exist today, but may not exist tomorrow (which is when Metro ?

Is there a way we can use

  • The plight of peripheral areas (no mobility plans in place or in action for areas beyond ORR), and 
  • Poorer people being forced to live farther and farther down the city, and being forced to spend hours to commuter to their workplaces

... to ask for

  • A pause on further Metro investments, till ...
    • we get a clear answer on - who is responsible for growth of larger Bangalore (BMRDA area, Bangalore Rural, Satelite Areas)
    • state government stops discriminating against these areas in terms of planning and investment on mobility

I don't know what we can action on this, if at all we can. But stirring a debate to scrutinize Metro Phase2A and Phase3 costs with this angle shoul dbe possible.

Yes, I sort of understand some of the terms that may come up - demand based planning, growth projections, gestation periods, high capex, gestation period etc etc. But I do know this too, that whenever you think of or plan for future, there are assumptions, biases as well as creativity in whatever models you create for justifying, planning and funding projects. My bias, if I may, is towards better sustainable, cheaper to build and operate options for mobility, and done in ways that would shape Bangalore of tomorrow, and not wrap around the amoeba that our satellite areas are turning into as we sit on approving some really large money projects.

cheers,

SB aka Pranav

ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳು

idontspam's picture

Good points

ಮೇಲೆ
192 users have liked.

We are late, but, whether or not we choose one model over the other, we have lost the plot on 2 counts. One that there is already an economy which ties in the sattellite brownfield towns you cant walk away from. Two that ribbon development & lack of zoning is only pushing this into a crisis. Answer 2 both is to attack them simultaneously, not one or the other.

Build commuter rail & control zoning along the corridors, dont allow sprawl in the form of ribbon development along each & every road/transport infra that is being built. Follow the concept of street categorization & make them function as per the definition. Develop/Redevelop areas to ensure spatial geometry allows for open areas & mixed use along specific categories of roads with public transport. Break up BMRDA region into multiple corporations & decentralize with clear zoning & plan guidelines.

GoK get your f****** town planning act together. You cant sleep on the job anymore. Dont think you know everything, or need have ALL the people inhouse, ask a wide variety of people & come to an informed conclusion. DO IT FAST. 

silkboard's picture

Don't think we are late, and I feel its not an either/or situati

ಮೇಲೆ
169 users have liked.
Thoughts on thse lines
  • Metro within the Outer Ring Road bound area - the mobility fix for this relatively more dense area
  • Cheaper, faster to implement options for connecting larger Satellite area 

What is the driver here?

  • It is not the "Metro" vs "Cheaper options for Satellites" areas debate.
  • Is anyone planning Satellite mobility yet? It is time, we may not be that late yet.

And if the plan happens to be Metro itself again, that too is okay, however"

  • Please justify costs and reasons for overlooking other options that may be cheaper
  • If justification exists, that too is okay. Good. But then, please focus Metro Phase 2 on Kengeri, Hoskote, Doddaballapur, BG Park inwards, do justice to satellite connectivity by putting a plan and money on it

Shape the city, manage its growth. Don't be at the tail, always behind and in "fix" mode all the time.

And then, only way to force such thinkig that I can think of is protest over these super huge Metro investments. Or else we may not make the headlines.

idontspam's picture

I am taking a stance

ಮೇಲೆ
162 users have liked.

I second the thoughts of stopping Phase 2 of the metro with a pre-escalation estimated cost of 26,000 crores. It can give you 400kms of commuter rail 3 times over at the current estimated cost.

GoK, give people a reason why commuter rail is not being done & then move ahead with whatever else you are doing. Let people then be the judge.

I am definitely taking  a stance against the metro till such time the commuter rail is put on stream concretely & not just in words. I will also support any activity which will go against the metro as I believe it is prioritizing a few rich people first over the broader population.

srinidhi's picture

DULT's BRT on ORR?

ಮೇಲೆ
172 users have liked.

Thought that was some good initiative that DULT had taken to try get BRT on ORR from Silkboard to Hebbal..last I heard of it was in 2010 where BDA was getting the DPR done for it..no news after that!

Is it that talk of metro ph 2a and 3 scuttled the BRT plans? Since the stretch on road is anyways signal free, I was thinking the LRT at grade option can be looked into on the same BRT tracks, as they offer advantages  including cost, over BRT

Btw where is the Ganapathy temple that is being referred to in the BMRC communique?

kbsyed61's picture

Investment in METRO becoming a factor!

ಮೇಲೆ
164 users have liked.

Sri,

You are absolutely right. DULT's BRT proposal for Bangalore was shelved citing investments made in the METRO for Bangalore and in balancing act the previous Shettar's govt took the BRT project to Hubli/Dharwar. This is a confirmed news from DULT sources.

METRO may not be directly responsible, but its huge investment requirements are making cash strapped governments NOT to pursue other equally important projects for the city. In effect, other cost effective solutions are becoming victims of METRO investment needs.

Time to call on the planners, politicians to sit back and judiciously decide what the city needs are and how best it can be met. Let not one fancy project ruin the other ones.

Vasanth's picture

NICE Road Monorail Again in News

ಮೇಲೆ
163 users have liked, including you.

http://www.prajavaniepaper.com/pdf/2013/08/19/20130819a_002100002.jpg

 

Again Mr.Kheny is in news for Monorail on NICE Peripheral Ring Road between Hosur Road  and  Tumkur Road and at Grade. I am wondering why to have a Monorail at Grade when it could be done by Light / Ordinary Rail. Or why not even a BRTS with Volvos or other high speed buses.

Since NICE Road is an expressway, even we don't need BRTS as it stands now. I think even if we have a normal / Volvo buses starting from Tumkur Road to Hosur Road and viceversa  and can just take an exit at toll Plazas such as Magadi Road, Mysore Road, Kanakapura Road and Bannerghatta Road and reenter the Ring Road giving connectivity to Buses / Metro.

yantraka's picture

Ganapathi temple reference in BMRC press note

ಮೇಲೆ
172 users have liked.

It is the temple near the T-junction of ORR and Bannerghatta Road opposite Mandovi Motors (source - https://twitter.com/MDNammaMetro/status/354842105132224512)

srinidhi's picture

eternal mistake..

ಮೇಲೆ
167 users have liked.

@Vasanth

This has been the bane for this city..everyone come to the design table with the mode already pre-decided..as you mention mono rails forte is running on stilts on narrow roads with tight corners..and none of these features is of any use on NICE PRR..

Does NICE even know the current user base and the projections..their travel patterns etc..for their monorail? Not just NICE, its the case with all other transport planning..there seems to be no co-ordinations of any sort btw agencies..the TTMC's are built with no integration with other modes..

Now with market corrections in the offing and the chances of trickle down of external funds flowing in..its important that we use money wisely as Pranav mentions..for the maximum benefit!

Btw the whole report seems opportunistic at this point..just a press feed..

Naveen's picture

Good summary

ಮೇಲೆ
162 users have liked.

Nice thoughts & some sensible questions about the future of BMRDA regions (& good to see the shift away from BMRC bashing!).

It is clear that metro (in all phases including ph-3) is not being planned to areas beyond Kengeri, Hoskote, Doddaballapur, BG Park. In fact, places outwards of PRR are not being considered in line with CTTP. Even these, if at all they get cleared by GoK /GoI & do materilize, would take a decade or more. Attention is naturally high for connectivity along various routes because of the very slow daily commute options for several urban million, as compared to a few lakhs for suburban rail.

Metro is passing through many poor areas - Majestic, City mkt, Chikpet, Yeshwanthpur, Dasarahalli, Peenya, etc in ph-1 itself whilst in ph-2, it includes Irshad nagar, Tannery rd, Nagawara, etc. Thus, it certainly is not passing through only rich areas but all areas & for the broader population (not for a few rich people) - & it is by no means a fancy project. It has been tested in hundreds of cities abroad & in two Indian cities as well. Besides, CBDs in Bangalore (unlike other cities) are very widely dispersed & quick connectivity is essential from various areas to all others without having to waste hours on commuting.

Though I agree that suburban rail must be pursued with just as much vigor as metro, I will repeat that metro planning need not be paused or halted just because attention is low on suburban rail. Rather, authorities need to perk up attention for suburban rail substantially since there is no other sensible way to provide connectivity to those places that lie along rail tracks upto the satellite towns & also spread out populace by offering them commuting options - what it needs is the SPV which can think like BMRC & plan development.

How much more trackage suburban rail gives for comparative costs of metro is irrelevant as it does not have trackage where it is necessary for the city's millions - i.e. within the city & along the needed corridors. Suburban rail will be catering mainly to suburbanites, satellite towns & some urban pockets en-route & not urban coverage as large as metro. Thus, the city does not need to be held hostage because authorities are not paying enough attention to suburban rail.

The only metro route that I'm not convinced about is the full circle on ORR. Traffic is not so high on western ORR, though it is extermely high on eastern ORR. CTTP had was recommended light rail on west-ORR & BRT on east-ORR, but then this was in 2006-7 & a more current survey may be necessary to check if metro is necessary along the full ORR. BRT's limitations may be a reason but a survey is still necessary to confirm viability & ridership volumes.

NICE rd monorail is nonsesne & will never materialize - BRT is the answer since there is enough width & it is cheap. Mr Kheny should reserve the median space for bus corridors right now since if the road is widened for general traffic, it will become very difficult to reclaim it back for BRT, or does he think his revenues would be lower with BRT? BTW SH16 is in Yadgir dist (not in or near Bangalore).

silkboard's picture

BMRC - further extension plans must be scrutinized

ಮೇಲೆ
168 users have liked.

Question -  What is the larger masterplan for connectivity under which massive investments (public money) are being planned?

If there is such a masterplan, then 

  • Please share it and put it in public domain for everyone's reference
  • What other modes exist in this masterplan?
  • Are all modes getting their due attention (investment) and time (mind share)?
  • If answer to above is yes, please publish progress made, and dates being chased for other modes.
  • Is connectivity/integration between these modes is getting its due attention and time.

Now, if there is no such masterplan in place, then

  • How is this massive investment (1000s of Crores being signed off and public only get to see approvals in newsreports) justified?
  • Who is responsible to produce or maintain this masterplan?
  • Is there a date by which this masterplan would be ready?

Would be glad if above questions could be answered before massive public money projects/extensions are approved.

Naveen's picture

See CTTP

ಮೇಲೆ
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I think this is pretty obvious - masterplan would be various study reports. CTTP would form the backbone for identifying transport projects & invetsments. In addition to suburban rail, BRT has also been neglected (only token efforts have been made for both these so far).

See table 9.10 of CTTP - briefly, CTTP recommended 137km metro, 60km monorail, 204km commuter rail, 291.5km BRT besides TTMCs, road improvements, PRR, parking facilities, etc. Cost estimates (based on 2007 prices) were as follows: 19921 crs for metro, 5100 crs for mono, 3060 crs for commuter rail, 3498 crs for BRT, etc. Total outlay was estimated at 46944 crs.

Since last CTTP is already 7 years old (& a later BMRDA study by Wilbur Smith did not recommend suburban rail), I think a fresh study is neccessary to update the plan.

silkboard's picture

Really, CTTP-2007?

ಮೇಲೆ
188 users have liked.

Is CTTP being followed or not is the question. And who is responsible for making sure that it is followed - I don't know. For example, (Tarle and I copy pasted and typed parts of CTTP right here on this site when it came out in 2007 (http://praja.in/en/gyan/bangalore-cttp-2007). as per chapter 10 (institutional strengthening), DULT is supposed to be doing these:

1. Periodic assessment of travel demand in a given area through CTTS and other studies 
2. Determination of level of public transport required on different corridors and the type of transport system required.
3. Assessment and recommendation of the new investments needed for creation of transport infrastructure
4. Apart from State owned service providers devising a system of procurem,ent of public transport services from private operators nad ensuring compliance
5. Setting policy guidelines for development of total network
6. Actively liaising with the municipal bodies/UDAs in designing and developing integrated policies and plans
Is DULT doing, or being allowed to do its job?
  • Has DULT been doing #2 above ("determination of level ... type of transport systems required") for Bangalore? If yes, then please tell us who is responsible for the observed fact that large public statements are being made on just one or two (include some road projects) recommendations in the plan. 
  • Has DULT done #3 ("assessment ... of the new investments needed ...") for new investment asks for Metro's new phases? If yes, then please share the assessment reports with public.
  • Metro's phase 2A & 3 plans include routes that are not mentioned in the CTTP? Which masterplan was used to arrive at the route and mode choice? Was the CTTP updated (should be done by the DULT?) or was this a for-Metro, by-Metro, of-Metro plan and CTTP (if it is the masterplan) update as not required?

 

Naveen's picture

Ask GoK

ಮೇಲೆ
166 users have liked.

You don't know Who is responsible for making sure that CTTP is followed? Again, its obvious that it has to be GoK, & I have mentioned this many times - GoK is responsible & the final authority. Not BMRC or DULT or SWR or BMTC for high level investment decisions.

About whether DULT is doing its job, whether it is being allowed to do its job, or if DULT has done #3, who is responsible to ensure that CTTP is being followed or not, etc etc, GoK alone can provide best answers - better to find out from them.

And by the way, I think BMRC is doing what it should be doing - which is keep planning further development. If an SPV for suburban rail is formed, they should also be doing exactly the same thing. i.e. keep planning further development, irrespective of whether it is viable or not & put it up for consideration. If another SPV is formed for BRT, they should also be doing exactly the same thing - keep planning ahead. It should be GoK to take the final call & shoulder the responsibility on deciding what investments they authorize based on findings - this is how it is supposed to work.

So, your frustration is better directed against GoK, not BMRc or DULT or anyone else. As mentioned earlier, I know GoK has been sleeping on suburban rail & BRT & they need to shake up. However, I cannot support efforts against a body like BMRC that is trying to do its job & because GoK has been sleeping on other things. If one did that, he would be attempting to penalize an institution that is attempting to deliver what it can do as best possible, irrespective of whether its plans are warranted or not.

silkboard's picture

Okay, thanks.

ಮೇಲೆ
166 users have liked.

This is not an anti-BMRC post as such. we all wish and hope that they are doing the best they can at their assigned job (no comments on how they are doing on the only parameters visible to public thus far - time and money) ... this is only a quest to find why certain modes and projects are getting preferential treatment when the stated plan of record (if CTTP is what it is) asks for investment in many. And if CTTP is what the transport plan is, then how come one mode gets to stretch and go beyond it, when others struggle to even get mentions.

"It has to be GoK" says a lot. Don't know what is obvious about that. That way almost everything - GoK is accountable. That there is no clear name or department owning transport masterplan (if there is one) of our city - that perhaps could be the root cause. And that perhaps is what eats 30 mins to 1 hour of our valuable personal time each day.

Anyway, not here to take sides or win arguments. Thanks for your answers. Looking at what doors to knock with this grievance. No clear idea yet.

Naveen's picture

Should be BMLTA

ಮೇಲೆ
192 users have liked.

True there isn't much clarity as to which body in GoK is responsible. It should be BMLTA (DULT's mandate is for other towns in Karnataka - see CTTP 10.6). I'm not sure BMLTA has been accorded independent statutory powers yet & have the necessary staff for transport regulation within BMA. Its best to clarify with Chief secretary or DULT since convenor for BMLTA is DULT commissioner. It has chief & principal secretaries as members amongst many others (http://www.bmlta.org/bmlt...).

CTTP recognizes the co-ordination challenges with railways (chapter-10). This may be the main stumbling block for suburban rail though GoK has at least gone ahead & approved the project & an SPV + written to railways. Disinterest by railways because of heavy losses & unwillingness to take up suburban rail projects may be another obstacle - which is why I have always felt that unless an SPV is in place (with state/city reps), this project will keep limping & struggling.

Cutting ribbons & starting a new train now & then to get some press coverage is not going to move this solidly ahead. On the contrary, it will get bad publicity with poor patronage since timings will be based on what suits SWR & not commuters as we have already seen. Chennai MRTS is struggling for ridership numbers because it is operated by SR & without state having any say even after huge investments have been made on elevated corridors.

I'm not sure there is preferential treatment for BMRC - it may be just that BMRC has been pro-active & came up with a plan to study further expansions. This does not automatically mean that all their plans are approved. Ph-2 has been approved whilst ph-2a & 3 has approval to commission a study at this stage (which is likely to take 18 months).
Also, before moving ahead with future phases, BMRC will need to know in advance to plan their network with interchanges in such a way that it should be possible to commute from any origin point to any destination with minimum no. of transfers. So, they may just only be doing what they are supposed to.

Delays with metro construction & cost escalation is not anything unusual - almost all mega infrastructure projects have these problems & may have more to do with lack of co-operation by other agencies & also by govt itself, such as the statue issue. Delhi metro may have managed to avoid such delays only because of CG's support, so its not a proper comparison.

Routes in ph-2a & 3 are in CTTP - the airport route was recommended from MG rd via Yelahanka whereas BMRC opted to extend the Nagavara route to airport to cut distance. CTTP also recommended another route to Yelahanka from Bommasandra via Nagavara & Thirumanahalli. One of the Ph-3 routes was to be monorail whilst the other was part of airport route. Its just that BMRc has juggled the routes to do away with monorail & minimize track length at the same time.

kbsyed61's picture

Evaluating resources and needs!

ಮೇಲೆ
193 users have liked.

People don't need to get agitated with mere a mention of call for review of projects like METRO or any project to that matter. Why are we going nuts with even a mention of BMRC? Yes, do respond to questions that beg rational responses and debunking of myths and half truths.

The question that SB raised and even I would like to ask is, isn't time to stand up and take a closer look at city's needs and how best it can be addressed? In that process what is wrong to take a look at the investments that will go into future expansion of METRO? Given the scare funds available with government and private enterprise, we will be doing right thing to evaluate, whether it is time to make investment in other proposals that could bring more coverage, connectivity and could also meet some of the objectives that BMRC plans to bring in with future expansions.

What is so agitating about asking the question - Pause METRO and review other projects? As a citizens, isn't our duty to question authorities for plans, investment?

It is well known in official circle that GOK and babus with its fascination and illiteracy for METRO, has relegated other equally important and necessary projects to background. Their ignorance is apparent everywhere with no big projects are taking off in the belief that 'Namma Metro' will solve all the Bangalore city's daily commute woes. Will it? May be it solves yesterday's problems for few areas? For tomorrow's needs you need systems to support 10 times of Namma Metro capacity covering 70-80& of the urban inside and out of the city.

Efficacy and prejudices of plans like CTTP, Wilbursmith studies gets exposed when the study recommends an investment of 79K crores, but forgets to even consider using the existing railway lines? They are as good as the people who prepares them and unfortunately people are fallible?

Naveen, you are right, the Ex-BMRC chief should be lauded for getting METRO executed with success given the public sector's success rate and speed. Equally you are right about he could have handled labor, PR with much more humane touch.

The questions raised on this post is not about Sivasailam? It is not about BMRC or METRO? They are about city's needs and how best we can addressed them.

 

Vasanth's picture

Monorail and Light Rail - Still no light on it due to Metro

ಮೇಲೆ
177 users have liked.

Light Rail / Monorail, still not clear with more intrests going towards Metro. Tighter roads of Bangalore needs a Mono / Light rail feeder connectivity and few trunk routes along the tight corridors also needs Light  / Mono rail. 

As per cttp report, a light / monorail was proposed for Magadi Road, western half of ORR and ORR via Katriguppe Main Road  passing via vidyapeeta, Hanumanthnagar, core Gandhi Bazaar  to National College Circle. These discussions are in air as of now which would increase speed of commuter speed and accessibility. Already planners are taking of phase 3 metro still when phase 1 is not live yet. 

Mumbai Monorail will be inagurated this September 15th. Turning radius looks very impressive. Can Bangalore learn anything from it once it goes live just like Delhi Metro?

BRT on the eastern ORR between Silkboard and Hebbal also not in news again due to having a Metro over there probably. 

In other words Metro is drawing all investment instead of others.

 

kbsyed61's picture

Railways - It takes two to tango!

ಮೇಲೆ
180 users have liked.

Naveen,

Surprising to note that a well informed person like you is ranting about railway's indifferent attitude like our petty politicians. Everything comes with the turf and who manages it? Not saying that there is no injustice. There is and blame is equally on both Railways and the state for not asserting its due share.

I am sure by now you would have been aware that currently the biggest impediment for railway projects to progress now is petty internal politics between Railway Minister and the CM. Their first interest of protecting their vote banks is what stopping Karnataka to get its due share. Railways is a highly politicized ministry and nothing is done there on need and rational basis. Everything is as per politics. In politics more often louder the noise, bigger is your share of booty. For some reason, politicians from Karnataka needs to take leaf out of Keral's politicians in getting resources from central ministries. Kochi Metro is the fine example of that politics.

You also know that a simple letter before the Budget in month of Feb is not going to deliver you the project. It needs firm resolve and follow up with the ministry or even higher ups. It takes series of meetings, phone calls and political maneuvering. You can't expect railways to approve your project when you have not even given state approval and don't know whether to implement the project or not? Whom we are fooling? ourselves?

Until now we were told that injustice to Karnataka is due to Railways Ministers are from other states and those states are being looked after very well the the cost Karnataka. Now you have the Man from Karnataka as Railway Minister, Same party at Central and the state? Still you hear about unless CM releases funds for projects in Minister's home district, he can't spare works for other parts of the state? If the current setup, Railway Minister, CM, Same Party can't do justice to Karnataka, whatever be the reason, nothing else can help Karnataka.

The blame equally lies with the state politicians for not taking up the issues at local levels at zonal users meets etc. If you see the MOM, except for Karnataka politicians, you will see a full house from other states? Yet to hear about politicians taking

Not only that, you need top bureaucrats in the Railways to be from the state so that state will not lose on bureaucratic decisions. It is time to have officers from state in Railway Ministry, Railway Board and most importantly heading the zonal boards. You need somebody from Karnataka heading the SWR to at least get something done for the state given his mandate and liberty. These things politicians should be taking up with concerned ministries and ensuring that state interest is met. Sitting back don;t expect railways to deliver justice to the state.

It is time instead of this injustice rant, we pressurize our MPs/MLAs to take up the issues concerning railway projects, getting our Babus posted at Railway Board and Zonal Boards. If not, no point in blaming Railways or any other Union Ministry for injustice to the state.

As the saying goes, "...IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO".

Vasanth's picture

Transit Oriented Development and SEZs along commuter rail

ಮೇಲೆ
190 users have liked.

If we look at Bangalore, the core Bangalore was around  Malleshwaram,Rajajinagar, Chamarajpet, Banashankari, Basavanagudi, Jayanagar & Vijaynagar and localities surrounding Vijaynagar. Later on the surrounding villages and towns got merged into Bangalore. Growth is totally uncontrolled and mostly based on where SEZs and STPI parks were setup such as localities around Whitefield and localities around Electronic City.

 

Basically there are two types of people who work in Bangalore :

1. Willing to Commute from Core Bangalore

2. Not Willing to Commute longer

Again, among Willing to Commute, we have two types of people:

1. Wants to commute in car in expressways like in the US

2. Wants to commute in public transit

.Only people coming from outside settled around these SEZs to reduce the commute time. Native Bangalorean still resided in the core Bangalore and commuted from there except few who moved nearby their offices. Movement of these people from West , North and Centre of Bangalore to Whitefield or Electronic City is the core problem.

Now, GoK should plan and develop suburbs around Bangalore along the commuter rail corridors and make them self sustainable with hospitals, schools etc. People coming from outside and who wants to settle close to office and not willing to commute can settle here. Those who wants to travel from core Bangalore can use commuter rail.

This suburb should discourage cars with high parking charges wherever they go. People living here should be encouraged to walk or bicycle or take bus.

 

 

 

 

Naveen's picture

Halt may happen by itself

ಮೇಲೆ
178 users have liked.

Syed,

It is natural & also expected of us citizens to raise questions as to why only metro is progressing & why not the others but unbecoming to unnecessarily blame BMRC for pursuing what they are supposed to be doing. That BMRC is an SPV is the reason why metro is progressing should have been obvious to all prajas a long time ago. It hasnt been mere mention of metro on praja for long now - it has been heavy bias & criticism whenever there has been talk about it, nothing else.

Remember what I said when CM cleared suburban rail? That an SPV was the first & foremost need - we needed to pursue this with DULT, ignoring all the rest. In my opinion, new trains are useless since they are operated according to SWR's convenience.

I dont think metro & suburban rail are connected at all - they serve different areas & sections & will only be feeding one another. So, better leave them detached & pursue both with equal vigor, even if there are budget constraints.

Its obvious (to me, at least) that all lines proposed by BMRC in 2nd/3rd phases will not see the light of day anytime soon, at least not as being made out to be. Perhaps the extension to whitefield & Bommasandra may get done, others may get postponed or something like that is bound to happen. There are much larger issues like viability, ridership, costs, approvals, etc that decide outcomes besides very long construction periods. Doing DPRs is only just the first step - even that takes 18 months. And BTW, I agree completely with what you said - that metro is trying to solve yesterday's problems for few areas.

When pockets begin to hurt, the ones responsible will naturally be forced to look at cheaper options. Till then, they may remain captivated & enamored, but it will have to end at some stage - we only need to hasten that process without tilting excessively in favor of one or the other. Already there are questions about metro exceeding budget targets, so it may happen sooner than expected.

I dont think I ranted about railways - I quoted what CTTP by Rites (a railways body itself) has stated. There are issues in the way railways functions that are posing serious problems. Kharge is on record stating that he has to deal with 25000 cr losses (& counting). Whilst you choose to call what I mentioned as rants, you also say that railways is highly politicized ministry, nothing done on need and rational basis, everything as per politics, louder the noise bigger the booty, karnataka politicians to learn from Kerala, etc. Do these rants (if I may call them that) not go well beyond what I said? All of what I quoted & what you say are true though, isnt it?

silkboard's picture

Okay, hold please

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Perhaps it is more of vocabulary difference among some of us, but it seems to me that most of us here more or less agree on these:

  • Transportation needs of large BMR area, more specifically BMRDA region are not being addressed through currently locked transportation investments (Metro Phase-1, various road projects like signal free, nothing else)
  • Metro is the solution for CBD  / within Outer Ring Road mobility. Whether Metro was the best soltuon there also is not worth a debate. The project is on, good progress made during last 4-5 years, lets wish BMRC well on phase-1.
  • If you do pure-demand driven planning, you will be left with expensive options, like we were when locking on Metro. This is because as demand builds up, we lose the flexibility in planning, real estate costs get higher, and execution involves more public outcry as the work would happen in busier areas.
  • There is a good vision already in place to grow the larger Bangalore Metropolitan Area. Refer CDP, and CTTP-2007
  • We need to bring out the fact that the transportation investments are not matching up with this good vision.
  • Given all of above, and assuming that there is a limited supply of money to make PT / mobility investments in larger BMR area, huge investments like Metro Phase 2A and Phase 3 need a scrutiny

Hope this merges most thoughts, without focusing either on blanket criticism of Metro or support for a particular mode of PT.

Vasanth's picture

News : Double Layered Flyover and Metro in BTM

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Crosspost from citizenmatters:

 

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/orr-hosur-road-rajkumar-road-to-become-signal-free

BTM  already crazy will be unimaginable during this build probably for 2-3 years.

I feel instead of double layed flyover throughout, if they can build a mini flyover / underpass like built in Bellandur to cross the Advaitha Petrol Bunk Junction, AXA Building Junction and Silkboard , we should be good. 

After Metro, priority should be to reduce the traffic. Building a flyover  and signal free corridor also in the same stretch, BBMP is taking away revenue from BMRCL. Attracting people to Public Transport will not be successful.

 

Sanjeev's picture

How Gurgaon Toll bailout by NHAI after Delhi Airport Express

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Just after few months of Delhi Airport Express take over by DMRC  with huge liability ( now finally Delhi Govt &  GOI ) will pump the money thru back door to keep the  project running at the loss of Rs ONE Crore per DAY.

Now next  fallout is Gurgaon Toll Plaza Ministry of Road Transport and Highways's proposal to take over Gurgaon Toll Plaza may cost Rs 130 crore to the government as the project's leading lender is believed to have decided against buying a stake in the highway project.
IDFC had earlier said that it will takeover the entire debt of Rs 1,600 crore of the expressway project, which now the Ministry says will not be taken into consideration, sources said.

 

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/gurgaon-toll-bailout-may-cost-the-exchequer-rs-130-crore/articleshow/22115905.cms

So when we will see the NICE and Bangalore Elevated Tollway Ltd ( BETL) for Hosur Road taking over by GOK with huge baggage???

May be next will be BMRC thing hanging on  the GOK head

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