The ideal rail link?
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If the proposed circular railway ever comes up, it should be nearly parallel to the Outer Ring Road connecting the existing local loop of the railway lines. A look by M. RAGHURAM
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Even while the Bangalore Metro rail project has been slated to be completed by 2011, there has been considerable thought put into motion for a circular railway line around Bangalore connecting all 13 entries and exits from the city. It is learnt that the Metro rail, which has two corridors running from east to west and north to south, and the circular railway will give the spoke-and-hub effect to Bangalore’s commuter movement.
Infrastructure companies are already pondering over the advantage that the city would have if the existing eight routes are doubled around the city and at certain point link to the Metro lines. According to the preliminary plan available with
The Hindu,
the circular railway would ideally come up outside the Outer Ring Road connecting the existing local loop of railway lines.
There are eight local railway lines: Bangalore city-Ramnagaram on Bangalore-Mysore route, Bangalore City-Tumkur line on Bangalore-Hubli route, Bangalore City-Dodballapur line on Bangalore-Anantapur route, Bangalore-Chikballapur line on Bangalore-Chennai route, Bangalore City-Malur line on Bangalore-KGF route, Bangalore City-K.R.Puram-Chandrapur-Anekal route on Bangalore-Salem route, Yeshwanthpur-Hebbal-K.R.Puram-Chandrapur on Yeshwanthpur-Salem route and Yelahanka-Jakkur-K.R.Puram line on K.R.Puram-Anantapur link route.
For the masses
An expert in Traffic Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Rourkee, M.N. Sreehari, told
The Hindu
that a circular railway would be the ideal Mass Transit System for Bangalore. He said “this project was proposed to the government four years ago” and he had said that the Commuter Rail System (CRS) would bring down the traffic density on highways and city roads. He said Metro Rail would serve only certain class of people travelling within the city while the railway, on the lines of the suburban railway of Mumbai, would be used by the so-called mass traffic of Bangalore. “They would reach their destination quickly by paying just a fraction of the cost they would incur on fuel for their personal vehicles or the air-conditioned Metro rail”.
Prof. Sreehari said the entire distance would be 70 km. and each kilometre would not cost more than Rs. 4 crore at current prices. Railway reserve land was already available, and the Government need not spend much on land acquisition. The financial burden on the State Government would also be minimal. However, some administrative clearances could have to be expedited by the Government, he added.
Filling the gaps
According to an infrastructure consultant to various companies, S.V. Amin, the circular railway can fill the wide gaps that exist between Salem and Mysore lines and between Mysore and Tumkur lines. Bangalore would have a perfect circular railway and by doubling all nine lines it would get a perfect mass transit system, in addition to the Metro. “This was how the mass transit system of Mumbai was developed. However, due to geographical advantages, the Mumbai city to Kalyan (Central line) and Churchgate to Virar (Western line) could get double tracks, which has worked out wonders for that ever-in-rush metropolis.”
M.S. Khera, advisor to Unitech, one of the large infrastructure and housing companies, said “Bangalore’s mass transit system leaves much to be desired in its present form. The transport system encourages only a centralised habitation and services hub in central Bangalore. The slow-moving road traffic makes people look for housing in the central city area, leading to more congestion.”
In the advent of circular railway, the areas in the Bangalore Urban District would open up for housing and many taluk headquarters of the district would become satellite towns of Bangalore and people would move out of the core Bangalore city to outer parts. This is what happened in many cities that have low cost urban railways, Mr. Khera said.
Officials in Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) told
The Hindu
that “there are already plans for developing the peripheral areas of Bangalore into several townships in Bangalore Urban District, but transport was a major concern as many of the townships would be situated not less than 25-30 kilometres from the ‘0’ kilometres (General Post Office) of Bangalore city.”
• The entire distance will be 70 km.
• Each kilometre will not cost more than Rs. 4 crore.
• Railway reserve land is already available, and the Government need not spend much on land acquisition.
• The financial burden on the State Government will be minimal.
• Project will bring down the traffic density on highways and city roads.
• Areas in the Bangalore Urban District will open up for housing, and many taluk headquarters will become satellite towns of Bangalore.
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