Namma Metro - BMRCL , Diving Bangalore Ahead

The Bangalore Metro has all the components required for a successful integrated public transport system. It offers:

• Comprehensive connectivity • Convenience • Comfort • Affordability • Frequency • Reliability • Safety • Aesthetics

Several MRTS proposals for Bangalore have been in the pipeline for nearly 24 years. In 1982, a study suggested that the MRTS should have a route length of 12.20 km. and pegged the cost at Rs. 239.15 crores.

 

In 1983, the Metropolitan Transit Project, an organization of Indian Railways, prepared a feasibility report for provision of suburban rail services on existing lines, a circular railway of 57.9 km. metro system on two corridors, in Phase-I 12.9 km. from Rajajinagar to Jayanagar and in Phase - II 11.2 km. from Hudson Circle to Krishnarajapuram. In 1988, a World Bank aided study was carried out by RITES and the study recommended a Commuter Rail System along with improvement of road transport system.

Later, in 1994, the Bangalore Mass Rapid Transit Limited (BMRTL) was incorporated by the State Government to implement the mass rapid transit system. BMRTL in turn asked the IL&FS to carry out a feasibility study for LRT System on Public-Private Partnership. However, though the partner was selected, the project did not take off. Later, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) in partnership with RITES prepared a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Bangalore Metro Rail, Phase I in 2003 at the instance of the Government. It proposed two double line corridors: East-West (EW) and North-South (NS) with a total length of 33 km.

The Bangalore Metro Rail finally took shape with the Karnataka Government clearing the project in March, 2005 and the Union Government giving its approval in April, 2006.

The Bangalore Metro comes with a package deal. Comfortable, quick, safer and economical, its energy requirement per passenger km. is only one-fifth of that of road based systems. Commuters can breathe easy, there will be no air pollution as the system runs on electric power. The economic rate of return is 22.3%

With traffic decongestion being the key, the primary aim of the Bangalore Metro is to encourage commuters to leave their vehicles in their garages and use public transport. Positioned as a complementary, rather than competitive mode of transport, the Bangalore Metro will work in tandem with other transport systems like buses and mono rails.

The city bus corridors will not run parallel to Bangalore Metro corridors, instead buses will act as feeders. The mono rail network planned for the city will not overlap with that of the metro, but will connect at major junctions as feeders.

On certain high density corridors, three wheelers will be regulated. Feeder bus services will be provided to all the metro stations. Bus bays and parking facilities for private vehicles will be available at all major stations. State-of-the-art  satellite bus-cum-metro terminals are being planned in the city outskirts, to control the entry of inter-city buses.

The Bangalore Metro will be integrated with Railways and other modes of transport at Byappanahalli Railway Station in the East, Yeshwantpur Railway Station in the North and Bangalore City Railway Station and Kempegowda Bus Stand in the Central parts of the city.

Shedule & Frequency
The Bangalore Metro construction work on the first elevated section (Reach-1) from Baiyappanahalli to Cricket Stadium (7 km.) is expected to be commissioned by December 2010.

BMRCL is seeking to minimize public inconvenience during the construction period. Prefabricated viaduct segments will be launched during night time, to avoid disruption of traffic. 

The frequency of the Metro trains will be every four minutes initially. This would increase to three minutes by 2021. The travel time from end to end on the east-west corridor will be 33 minutes, and on the north-south corridor 44 minutes. The system is designed for a maximum train speed of 80 kmph.

Highlights

     
     GAUGE                  :      Standard Gauge

     TRACTION             :       750V dc Third Rail

     SPEED Max            :      80Kmph ; Sch. 32Kmph

     NO. OF STATIONS  :       41

     TRAVEL TIME         :       33/44 Mins. (end to end) 

The Route

The Bangalore Metro weaves through the bustling commercial and residential areas of the city. The first phase of Bangalore Metro, consisting of two corridors of double line electrified, will cover a total of 42.30 km.

The East-West corridor will be 18.10 km. long, starting from Byappanahalli and terminating at Mysore Road terminal, going via Old Madras Road, Indiranagar, C.M.H. Road, Ulsoor, Trinity Circle, M.G. Road, Cricket Stadium, Vidhana Soudha, Central College, Majestic, City Railway Station, Magadi Road, Hosahalli, Vijayanagar and Deepanjali Nagar.

The 24.20 km. North-South corridor will begin at Hessarghatta Road Terminal and terminate at Puttenahalli going via Mahalakshmi, Rajajinagar, Kuvempu Road, Malleswaram, Swastik, Majestic, Chikpet, City Market, K.R. Road, Lalbagh, South End Circle,Jayanagar and Puttenahalli.

Out of the 42.30 km., 8.822 km. will be underground near City Railway Station, Vidhana Soudha, Majestic and City Market and most of the rest will be elevated. 

Capacity

The Bangalore Metro has been designed for a capacity of 40,000 PHPDT. The number of passengers expected to travel on the metro everyday is estimated at 10.20 lakhs in 2011 and 16.10 lakhs in 2021.

Coaches

Each train will consist of three coaches (2.88 m wide) to start with. The train can accommodate a total of 1000 persons.

The coaches will be light weight modern coaches and will be later augmented to six - the carrying capacity of a six coach train will be 2068 passengers. The coaches, with stainless steel shells are air-conditioned and have self-closing doors. 

Fare

By paying a little more than the bus fare, passengers can enjoy a quick, comfortable journey in the Bangalore Metro. The metro fare is being considered at about 1.5 times the ordinary bus fare. The fare structure will vary between Rs. 7 and Rs.15 as indicated in the graph.

 

CMH Road

 

Deepanjali Nagar

 

KR Road

  

 

Kuvempu Road Station

 

Lalbagh Station

 Magadi Road

Malleshwaram

Mysore Road Termainal

Rajaji Nagar

 South End Station

Trinity Station

Source & Photos: Namma Metro, BMRCL

Video Courtesy: SUTECH SOLUTIONS, Bangalore