Metro to be integrated with buses, suburban trains

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Though Namma Metro has been increasing its footprint across the city, lack of integration with other modes of transport has been a stumbling block. To overcome this shortcoming, BMRCL is now preparing a long-term plan to integrate different modes of transport to complement each other.

Along with the state government, BMRCL has engaged Rail Infrastructure Technical Engineering Services (RITES) for conducting a comprehensive study and prepare a master plan for capacity augmentation at Hebbal junction to meet the estimated road traffic requirement of 2051 and integration of other modes of transport like Metro and suburban Lines.

RITES had interacted with various agencies such as BDA, BBMP, Bescom, BWSSB, BMTC, K-RIDE, BMRCL and prepared various options to meet the traffic requirements in 2051.

While BMRCL is constructing Phase 2A & 2B, ORR Airport Metro from Central Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport via Hebbal junction, the corporation is also preparing DPR for construction of Metro corridor from Hebbal to JP Nagar along the ORR as Phase-3 completing the circular Metro on ORR.

However, it says the BDA plan to construct an additional bridge at Hebbal junction will pose a serious hindrance for future infrastructure development at Hebbal Junction and obstruct Phase-3 Metro corridor. Instead RITES has proposed construction of an additional two-lane flyover to the west of the existing flyover making it five-lane movement from city to Airport. It has also suggested that the existing elevated loop from city to Tumakuru will have to be rebuilt after the new lanes are added.

Tumakuru to city loop will have to be removed to make this space available for Multimodal Integration and BMTC bus stop.