Monorail - Can routes be improved ?

Kanesan Veluppillai, president, Scomi International, said the monorail will have a carrying capacity of 10,000 people with 139 persons per car. The capacity might be increased to 30,000 depending on the demand. Initially, there will be four cars.
“We are expecting the cabinet’s nod to start the project. We have submitted the DPR in October 2009. We hope to get the approval by this year. From the date of signing the contract, it will take 30 months for completion of the project,” said Kanesan.
“The monorail project is aimed at attracting private vehicle users and helping them move away from use of private vehicles. Hence, the fares will be three times higher than bus rates,” he said.
Scomi International Limited plans to set up monorailmanufacturing units. The units will be in four states including Karnataka. “Once work on the second and third projects starts, the units will be set up. This will be done in the next five years,” said Kanesan.

(Excerpts from a previous media report)

Routes can be improved for better commuter convenience as follows :

1) Shantinagar /Lalbagh:
If the green mono route (marked 'A') turns right into KH rd & then turns left into Siddiah rd, instead of continuing along Lalbagh north boundary wall (after KH circle), it would interface well with shantinagar TTMC, if a stop /station were provided at the intersection of Siddiah & KH rds.

Further, if the route continues along Siddiah rd upto JC rd & is routed along JC rd instead of Lalbagh rd, it would include catchment on Lalbagh rd (if a stn is provided where it crosses it) as also cover JC rd /Townhall /SJP /NR rd. This will mean additional stations & added investments, but increased ridership levels may offset it easily. Track length will remain nearly same.

2) Koramangala:
If the blue & green Mono routes ('A' & 'D') interface at the fork where the two hosur rds meet (Madiwala checkpost), & if the blue route goes along Kml 80-ft rd (that starts opp Forum mall) instead of following Kml 100-ft rd, it would allow the route to turn right into 80-ft peripheral rd (near Kml indoor stadium), then turn left into IRR towards Domlur. This would cover more shopping /comml catchment areas on the two 80-ft roads in Kml as also include 100-ft rd at Sony world jn, integrating well with Kml TTMC too, whilst going past Bethany school on one of the two 80-ft rds.

3) Indiranagar:
Instead of routing the blue line all along 100-ft rd in Indiranagar, the route could turn right into 12th main (also 80-ft wide) & proceed to Indiranagar 80-ft rd, turn left & run north along the 80-ft rd to reach old madras rd. This way, it will have catchment from 100-ft rd as also 80-ft rd, Jeevanbhimnagar /Thippsandra rds which are adjacent Indiranagar 80-ft rd, both of which are comml. Addnl stn/s may be necessary, but ridership will increase due to better coverage - trackage will remain nearly same.

4) Jayanagar:
Though this would increase track distance, connecting 3rd/4th blocks on the red ('B') route could be considered since most of the comml activities are situated there (there is also the Jayanagar TTMC). If this route were to proceed further south past madhavan park to 4th block (along 9th main, which is 100-ft wide), then turn west on 30th cross at Jayanagar TTMC & then proceed north along Kanakapura rd (or KR rd) to reach NR colony, it will cover much wider areas (interface with Metro can be at Jayanagar metro stn; Southend circle will not be covered, but since Metro covers it, the need becomes much lesser).