BENGALURU: The first thing citizens want is better public transport in the form of Namma Metro and suburban rail. This is because mobility is the number one pain-point for all Bengalureans, said B.PAC President Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw. She said that while Metro Phase 2 and 3 and their link to the airport are being worked out, it should be a policy that Metro stations be inter-connected with other modes of transport, and not be isolated stand-alone stations.
She pointed out that the Metro needs to be integrated with the airport, bus stations and suburban rail. She also rued that though it was planned to be linked to Cantonment Railway Station, the route has been realigned. “The new Metro station is a kilometre away. It can be realigned, as it has not yet started,” she said, adding that there is also a need to expedite projects, and ensure transparency and accountability.
Shaw said that suburban rail is “low-hanging fruit” and achievable, since the state and central government are aligned, and it should be impressed upon the Centre to make things happen very fast. The government should also identify 12 high-density corridors and ensure they are signal-free during peak traffic hours. There are also many junction gridlocks like Hebbal flyover, Cauvery Theatre junction, KR Puram, Central Silk Board, which need to be better designed.
We need to make Church Street a walkable street between 10 am and 10 pm. This has not been implemented yet. We also need bus lanes in Whitefield and Electronics City. We need to put elevated roads on the backburner for now.