Naveen's blog

[Note: If you have well thought out (as in precise routes and maps) local area/loop shuttle suggestions for your area, please share them as separate posts. In case of difficulty in attaching images, just mail them to "tech" at praja.in, we will attach images on your behalf. So here are Naveen's routes for his area.]

As part of ABIDe, Prof.Ashwin Mahesh appears to have thoroughly understood all the limitations of having to deal with issues for commencing new city transport services within the existing framework of our polity & citizenry.

He touched upon prevailing operational practices & existing mindsets within BMTC as also those of the expectations of people with regard to BMTC services. He dealt with various issues in an extremely systematic & orderly way & explained all aspects – indeed in a most impressive manner.

The city is desperately in need of some additional form of mass transport system to feed the Metro. The choice is essentially between Monorail, LRT or BRT. Some of us believe that a surface LRT is suitable for Bangalore, & that it can assist in reducing street congestion.

Hi Folks,

It does seem a hugely expensive exercise that would cater to perhaps, a few thousand each day. At first look, it does seem a questionable investment decision with dubious rationale - is this really so ?

A few points that may be pondered over ---

BBMP’s prescription to ease congestion in Basavanagudi area is to install an underpass at Tagore circle – a strange decision, since a gigantic flyover has been built on a parallel road, & that same road (Vani Vilas Rd) can be streamlined for uninterrupted flows to attract more traffic, & limit traffic past Gandhi Bazaar & Tagore Circle.

As can be seen from the diagram, what this will do is invite even more traffic through  MN Krishnarao Rd (diagonal road), BP Wadia Rd as also on Gandhi Bazaar Rd . Soon, there will be a need for another underpass or flyover at Indian Institute of World Culture, followed up further by another at the DVG Rd–Gandhi Bazaar Rd intersection, & so on so forth ! 

As most of us are aware, the track record of suburban railways in the larger Indian cities has been pathetic. Other than Mumbai, there is'nt a single example where such a service has successfully attracted commuters & helped reduce road congestion. Most of them have been total failures.

The first CTTP for Bangalore had been carried out in 1963-64 by the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI, New Delhi). This study, though termed “Comprehensive” had focused on the road system, & had proposed construction of 138 km of ring roads, 77.5 km arterial roads & various grade separators, pedestrian subways and truck terminals.

An effort to refresh the data & update the proposals was made by the BDA (Town Planning Dept) in 1977. One of its recommendations was to look into a mass rapid transit project, i.e. a Metro system, or similar.

This hade been taken up by a high-level Committee in 1981 & the Lynne Committee, that had been appointed, agreed that a Metro study was warranted, and a team from Southern Railways, Chennai (Madras, then) was commissioned to do this.

In 1983, the Southern Railway team recommended a 2-corridor Metro of 24 km, & also 3 commuter rail lines, and a 58-km ring railway over a 25-year period. No action followed this proposal.