Metro Stations spacing in CBDs

Following are two letters posted to BMRC in connection with CBD stations along proposed Gottigere-Nagawara Metro line:

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5th March, 2012

To,

The Managing Director,
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.,
Bangalore

Dear Sir,

Re: Suggestion for additional CBD stations along Phase 2 trunk line

Greetings and many congratulations for opening the first reach of Namma Metro as also for completing
the first tunnel boring/s.

From recent press reports, it appears that the track length between MG road and Shivajinagar stations
along the new phase-2 route (Gottigere-Nagavara) is likely to be about 1.4km (assuming that the
tunnel/s are planned along Kamaraj road-Cubbon road-Central street route, or thereabouts). Also, the
track length between Shivajinagar and Cantonment stations is likely to be about 1.65km (assuming that
the tunnels are planned along Venkatswamy Naidu road – Queen’s road route).

This stretch of about 3 km falls right in the middle of the city center with many commercial activity
points such as Infantry road, Cunningham road, Commercial street, etc. I suggest that additional
station/s be planned midway between these stations as the station spacing (average 1.5km) appears to be
on the high side within the heart of the CBD.

For example, a station on Cubbon road near Main Guard Cross road and another at the junction of
Cunningham road and Queen’s road would certainly shift a lot of commuters from private vehicles to
Metro due to substantial enlargement of the catchment areas within walkable distances.

With two additional stations, the number of stations on this trunk route would become 20 along a
21.25km stretch, with an average station spacing of 1.063km. This would still be higher than the
average station spacing in the first phase (1.033km – 40 stations for track length of 41.3km).

This suggestion is being made from the point of view of the many commuters bound for offices &
commercial points in these areas. I request you to please consider this seriously in an effort to enhance
decongestion and limit private vehicle use within these CBD areas.

Thanking you for your kind attention,

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September 20, 2012

To,
The Managing Director,
Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.,
Bangalore

Dear Sir,

Re: CBD stations along Phase 2 Gottigere-Nagawara trunk line

Please refer my letter dated 5th March, 2012 regarding the anomaly /aberration in the stations spacing in
important CBD areas along the Gottigere–Nagawara trunk line. A copy of my previous letter is also attached
for your perusal.

As explained, I am unable to understand the rationale for increased station spacing in important CBD
locations. By the same token, I note that station spacing is unnecessarily small (between 700-800 meters) in
the far flung suburb of White-field (between Doddanekundi Ind Area & Satya Sai hospital) as correctly
pointed out by Abhilash & Prasad tech parks.

I have very serious concerns about public commuting needs within one of the most important CBD areas as
follows:
1) No intermediate station between MG road and Shivajinagar stations (appx 1.4km) – a station is
necessary near the junction of Cubbon road and Lady Curzon road or near the junction of Cubbon
road and Main Guard Cross road.
2) No intermediate station between Shivajinagar and Cantonment stations (appx 1.6km) – a station is
necessary near the junction of Queens road and Cunningham road or near the junction of Queens
road and Jasma Bhavan road.

If stations are not being considered at these locations, I would like to know BMRC’s explanation about how
seamless connectivity is being addressed for those that are city-bound to heavy commercial activity centers
such as Commercial street, Dispensary road, Infantry road, Main Guard cross road, Lady Curzon road,
Cunningham road and surroundings, & also why stations are being planned at 700-800m intervals in the
suburb of Whitefield, whilst ignoring the very real requisites in far more important CBD areas.

For your reference, most Metro /Subways have stations spaced between 400-800m in CBD areas:

Example-1 Singapore CBD:
NE route between stations Outram park, Chinatown & Clarke Quay – spaced about 620m apart;
Circle route between stations Dhoby Ghaut, Bras Basah, Esplanade, Promenade & Nicoll Highway – spaced
about 650m apart.
NS route between stations Orchard, Somerset & Dhoby Ghaut – spaced about 800m apart;

Example-2 Guangzhou CBD:
APM line between Chigang Pagoda and Linhexi (4km), with seven intermediate stations (Haixinsha, Opera
House, Huacheng Dadao, Women's And Children's Center, Huangpu Dadao, Tianhenam, Tianhe Sports center
south) – spaced 500m apart, on average;

Example-3 Hong Kong CBD:
TWL /KTL lines between stations Tsim Sha Shui & Kowloon Tong (4.7km) with five intermediate stations
(Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, Prince Edward, Shek Kip Mei) – spaced 780m apart, on average.

Example-4 New York /Manhattan CBD:
Subway route 1 between stations Chambers st, Franklin st & Canal st – spaced about 410m apart;
Subway routes 4, 5 & 6 between stations 23rd, 28th & 33rd streets – spaced about 420m apart.

From the above examples, it is amply clear that Metro systems around the world have shorter station spacing
in CBDs and use the 1.0km benchmark as a guideline only for outlying areas. Needless to say, the guideline
1.0km station spacing does not hold good in CBD areas due to clusters of activity centers that usually are at
large distances away on both sides of the Metro route/s, necessitating shorter spacing.

Also, I wish to reiterate that the focus must necessarily rest on commuter needs, rather than ease of
construction or cost savings, even if there are public inconveniences or agitation during construction. Thus,
budget constraints will need to be overcome and construction delays might be acceptable, but clearly,
commuter inconveniences decade after decade is certainly not desirable.

In this context, I also wish to mention that a station along KG road (at the junction of BVK Iyengar road) was a
commuter necessity that seems to have been ignored due to pressures on cost, speedy completion, averting
public agitation, etc and this deficiency of the Metro system will remain a part of the city’s history now since
it appears that it might be a little too late to correct this.

I request a meeting with you at the earliest – please advice a date & time of your convenience.

Thanking you for your kind attention & looking forward to the meeting,

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