Focusing on Metro at cost of road, rail will cripple city

While the increase in Namma Metro ridership is a matter of cheer for BMRCL officials, urban transport experts warn that neglecting road and rail transport will not only exert pressure on the Metro, but will ultimately cripple the entire mobility sector.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola said Metro ridership was increasing by 4,000-5,000 every week. “After Phase 1 became operational, the daily average ridership was three lakh. Last month, it was 3.3 lakh. It has now crossed the 3.5-lakh mark. This will multiply when we add additional coaches,” he added.

Metro commuters, however, are not celebrating as they are worried about the jump in ridership without the necessary infrastructure. “Till June, the Metro journey was enjoyable. Now, the comfort ends once we enter the crowded platforms. Getting into a train is a circus during peak hours,” said Raghav Patil, who commutes between Hosahalli and Baiyappanahalli.

Urban transport expert Ashwin Mahesh said apart from those who live nearby, Metro riders are made of people who are fed up with appalling conditions of road transport. “The irony of the Metro is that it is crowded even though it serves a very few people when compared with BMTC’s ridership of 50 lakh,” he said.

The vehicle population in Bengaluru stood at 69.8 lakh in June compared with 63.8 lakh to the corresponding period last year.

“Metro will continue to be crowded even if BMRCL runs six-car trains. Roads will be congested too as vehicle and human population increases. Even after Phase 2, Metro is expected to carry only 12 lakh people. Governments should realise Metro and city buses go hand in hand,” he said.

Another expert and activist Sanjeev Dyamannavar said the governmets should look at the city’s mobility problem as a whole and come up with a multi-modal transport system where each service complements the each other.

“These modes should be integrated to serve the city effectively. The BMTC is carrying 50 lakh, suburban rail can carry 30 lakh, while Metro can carry a maximum of 20 lakh,” he said, adding that as the population grows, the government should increase buses.

Both Mahesh and Dyamannavar said the government should discourage private vehicles by introducing rules like paid parking across the city to promote mass public transport. “The government should add at least 6,000 buses to BMTC’s fleet and stop insisting that city buses make a profit. They can’t take credit for adding 1,000 buses a year since 800 buses are scrapped at the same time,” Mahesh noted.

DH News Service