Despite being an eagerly awaited project, the opening of the Namma Metro line between K.R. Puram and Whitefield has again proven that the integration of various modes of transport is an afterthought for authorities.
Near Krishnarajapuram railway station, in the absence of a foot-over-bridge (FoB) connecting the railway station and the newly opened K.R. Pura metro station, thousands of pedestrians are risking their lives to cross the busy road.
Police manning the junction located under the cable bridge say that every day 20,000 to 25,000 people cross the road.
The area is more crowded now
“Krishnarajapuram railway station is one of the prominent railway stations. If a long-distance train comes, 350 to 1,500 passengers get down at this point. Considering their safety, traffic police and home guards help them cross the road in batches by stopping traffic movement. To man the junction, four to five constables, three home guards, an ASI and an SI rank police are deputed,” said a senior traffic police official, who also said that the construction of the FoB would ease the traffic movement and help the pedestrians in a big way.
Mahadeva R., a pedestrian, said, “It is very risky to cross the road. As the junction is located under the bridge, it is very difficult to judge the movement of vehicles due to poor visibility. At regular intervals, they block the traffic to allow pedestrians to cross the road, but it is a difficult task. The number of pedestrians increased after the Whitefield metro line opened. After getting down from the K.R. Pura station, many passengers cross the road to board buses going towards the Silk Board side. The authorities should construct an FoB connecting two stations as early as possible.”
Problem at other railway stations too
This is not the first time that the authorities are “de-prioritising” integration of the various modes of transport or providing last or first-mile connectivity.
At Majestic, providing seamless connectivity between various modes of transport is yet to become a reality. Non-integration of metro and railway stations at Yeshwanthpur is another example. Improvement of road networks is being planned after opening Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal at Baiyappanahalli, which was built after spending a whopping ₹320 crore.
Urban Mobility expert Ashish Verma said, “Integration of various modes of transport and providing seamless connecting access to the mass transit systems should be prioritised while conceptualising and designing the project. Providing easy access helps in increasing footfall as well as ensuring more comfortable travel for pedestrians. I am hopeful that the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) will come up with a comprehensive plan for the integration of various modes of transport and providing feeder services in the newly opened line.”
An official of the BMRCL said, “At K.R. Pura metro station, an FoB will be built across the road for the benefit of the pedestrians. Preliminary works are on. Due to some land issues, there was some delay. Now, everything has been sorted out, and work will be resumed. At Whitefield station, a decision on integration with railway station will be taken after consulting authorities concerned.”
Published - April 14, 2023 09:38 pm IST
