We gathered at the Bypanahalli Railway station to day at 9 AM. The following were present:-
- Vinod Shankar
- Pathy
- DK Ravi
- PSA
The Metro Station is coming up next to the Bypanahalli Railway Station. It has two central tracks between the adjacent plat forms, with the additional 3rd track is also provided on the other side. A 600 meters overhead foot bridge connects these platforms to the Old Madras road and the Railway station on either side. The foot bridge will be 3 meters wide. The station is supposed to be of International standards with AC.
The metro will be having 4/5 compartment running at 3 minutes frequency. The station will have the ticketing at first floor. Entry by overhead foot bridge and escalators is also provided. There is a twenty building depot. The estimated cost is Rs 50 crores.
This station is being built by company called IVRCL (I Venkata Reddy Construction Ltd.).
The present road connecting NGEF to old Madras road is to be realigned. Instead of connecting to the Old Madras road at the present location it will be connected at the railway line [Parallel to Suranjandas road] location. A new BMTC bus Stand will be located near to the Metro station. It is not clear whether this will not interfere with the planed future extension of Metro to White field.
Comments
Bypanahalli Metro Station Photo stream
The station complex at Bypanahalli is planned to be integrated with the bus transit facility as well as the rail road one.
Simple drawing of the byappanahalli depot area plan
some might find the schematic difficult to read. I need to improve my skills in drawing such schematics, this is my first attempt.
Byappanahalli
The complex is supposed tobe 'World Class, seamless and Integrated'.
However, from the information we got the Metro platform and the S.W.Railway platform are not being located side by side in such a way as to enable commuters to change over at the same level. They have to walk and climb the foot over bridge, walk again, climb down to change trains. This is not commuter-friendly, esp. for Senior citizens, women, children and physically challenged carrying luggage.
Hope the designers will rethink and modify the plan suitably.
K.V.Pathy
Byappanahalli IMTC
Mr.Pathy,
I think there will be escalators or at least elevator/s provided to assist the aged, small children, pregnant women & others that are mobility impaired.
With metro tracks, inter-city train tracks & roads running below, how else can they design safe pedestrian movements ?
In most cities, pedestrian cross-overs are overhead or below the tracks /roads, & in places where there are mass movements (such as at Metro stations), there usually is provision for escalators & elevators, or at least elevator/s for the physically challenged.
The BRT under construction here in Guangzhou has similar overhead bridges for pedestrian movements, but no escalators or elevators are being provided. However, the metro has them at all stations, most of which are underground.
My take....
Thanks Vinod, PSA, Pathy.
Haven't had a chance to take my pics off the camera yet, will upload later. Here goes my take based on what we saw at Byappanahally... Some of the below is also based on my discussions with one of my contacts at one such metro site..
Structural work is all that is going on. Pillars / Beams don't make up the station. 10 out of 22 months is already up, and they don't seem to have the details needed to finish up in time.
Major issue I see first:
Station bulding is built by one contractor, design is by the General Contractor (RITES et al), ticketing by another, tracks by someone else, electrics / signalling probably by two others, interior decoration / elevators etc by yet another... It is a true logistical challenge.
Not sure if the guys in the field get the recognition and respect they deserve. From the media (which seem to not like anyhting metro does) and from BMRCL / General Contractor (which doesn't seem to pass on all the info they need).
Talking to one of my contacts at a metro work site, here is what I understand. RITES engineer is typically on site daily. There is a meeting once a month or so between contract site engineer/ site PM and RITES bosses. BMRCL does not seem to interact with site engineers/PM at all. Typically, Site Engineer does not have all the documents, and the drawings are in constant flux. Details arrive at the site sometimes 2 to 3 weeks after they are released from Shantinagar office.
Any decent project manager knows that interfaces are going to make or break such projects. When 10 contractors are expected to work on one single site, it is imperative that site meetings take place (apart from separate design reviews that should have already happened) very often between everyone involved, where key guys voice their concerns. Telling a building contractor you have 30 weeks to build something, and get back with Rev10 dwgs 15 months later, without even hearing his problems out will not get anything completed.
Get my gripe? Here is what I want to do:
Back to Byappanahalli Station & its Integration:
They had two options. Take the metro station closer to BYP Railway Station or closer to OMR. They chose the former. We spoke to some guys on site and got to know a few details. Vinod has already tried to depict the plan in his dwg above. Design calls for a Foot Over Bridge (hopefully with elevators) to connect KSRTC terminus, BYP Railway Station, Metro Terminal and OMR, at Metro Concourse Level.
How to get KSRTC/BMTC buses to the west side of BYP raiway station is a question we have to ask KSRTC / BMTC. Closer to OMR would have been a better choice I think. Buses will have to cross both SWR and metro tracks to get to / from the bus terminal!
There are plenty of other minor details, but the above should be enough for now. Next time, we should take a bigger Praja team to such sites.
Ravi
Byp Land Plan
Ravi,
See land plan drawing below, top left & right - buses will exit through an underpass (below track/s). They will have to enter via an over or underpass, though this has not been specified in the drawing.
I think the Metro station was pushed off OMR since land requirement for bus integration might have been smaller (8.7 acres) whereas Metro depot requires a much larger area (nearly 25 acres, as per plan).
As long as there are convenient bus stops just before going off OMR into the bus stand or immediately on entering OMR from the bus stand, I don't think it matters much, except for pedestrians who are approaching or moving away by walk directly from /to Metro trains - they will have to walk the distance via the overbridge.
BPHalli
Dear Mr. Naveen,
Reg. Integrated, seamless complex, Why shloud our people not improve on whatever is being done at other places like Guangzhou?
If the planning stage is done carefully before starting site work, the requirements could have been met.
If Mr.Ravi could get the designers to talk to us this may get clarified.
K.V.Pathy
Mr.Pathy - Appreciate a proposal
Mr Pathy,
I'm not sure what you meant when you said that requirements could be met if designed at the planning stage. What are the requirements ? Is it not acceptable if mechanical lifting devices such as escaltors or elevators are installed ?
Could you come up with a design proposal that facilitates movement of pedestrians without conflicts or dangers whilst also permitting movement of buses & Metro as well as inter-city trains without impediments, or explain your ideas on how you think this can be done, keeping them all at one level ?
The only way this can be done is by grade separation & use of multiple levels with provision of escalators & elevators, & I see this at almost all places overseas - there are no complaints that I know of with this method as it provides unhindered movements for all - pedestrians as well as rail /bus.
Byp - Another sketch
Here is another old sketch for the proposed Byppanahalli IMTC. On this sketch, a subway (underpass) has been marked for pedestrians between the Metro & Bus areas, but this may have been changed now in preference to a continuation of the overhead bridge commencing at OMR & going all the way past the Metro /SWR rail stations to the Bus area.
Another Headache..
I found this article in newspaper
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/30055/initial-report-byappanahalli-station-submitted.html
As this initial report on the expansion of the Railway station indicates,there is a plan to expand next to the KSRTC terminal on the NGEF Land. There seems to be no specifics but this might upset the intergration plans.
The problem here is the multiple agencies KSRTC, BMTC,BMRCL, Indian Railways.
I think we, as praja, need to be probably keep a close watch on the construction for byappanahalli and also the plans of other agencies.
Any idea which agency is going to do the integration i.e. all the pedestrian overpass/ramps..?
Moi Blog -> kelarappakeli.blogspot.com/
Go all the way
It has also been proposed that the station be provided with different entry and exit points to avoid any confusion between passengers arriving and departing from the station.
Hope the modernization doesnt mean slippery-when-wet tiles and includes lots of dustbions, constant cleaning, clean toilets, functioning escalators and elevators, proper signboards, functioning train arr/dep information boards on each platform and appropriate locations.
Namma Metro update Oct,10 2009
Thanks for all the detailed information including design; allignment and challenegs faced by the various contractors/agencies. I was curious to know the following.
1. With the proposed Bus terminus would we not expect high volumes of bus; car and auto traffic. Would a flyover NOT be neccessary at the OMR-Suranjan Das road junction to manage the intersection of Commuter traffic and regluar (ever-increasing) OMR traffic ?
2. Are the long distance trains to and from SBC likely to halt in Bypanahalli ?
3. Is there NOT a proposal by the Indian Railways to make Bypanahalli a bigger terminus like in KURLA LokmanyaTilak Terminus / KHAR terminus in Mumbai ?
@Naveen & IDS
@Naveen: Yes, Foot Over Bridge is the current plan. I managed a sneak peak into one of those dwgs showing FOB connecting the Metro Station concourse level to both BYP SWR station and OMR.
@IDS: One of the reasons for delays in such projects is non-issual of detailed dwgs and/or revisions to the part of work being done or after completion. I live in a projects world where it is a common affair. We have a saying - rework costs 3 times more in time and money. Forget tiles and dustbin details.... We should go ask GC for final structure details, final locations of amenities etc. Can't be a state secret.... They should be able to show all those dwgs to us. We may be able to offer some constructive stake-holder review beyond their mandated (probably already completed) design review.
It is a good time for us to meet w/ the General Consultant to see how much of the noise we hear is in fact true. Sometimes you get to hear frustrated exaggeration from boots on the ground.
Ravi
Great report
Just wanted to write in to say great report, and sorry for not being able to make it. As I mentioned already on the phone, at least 4-5 days notice is a must for organizing such meetings to have at least 8-10 active folks attend.
I go by this area everyday, and can stop and take pictures or ask around once every month to keep the interest.
Namma Metro Update Oct 09
Is the BMTC Bus Dept going to be located across the Byappanahalli Railway Station or is it going to be located closer to Old Madras Road? Having the bus depot closer to Old Madras Road makes more convenient for passengers to move between the bus and metro terminus. Do you have a more detailed picture of the proposed roads , connectivity etc?
SL