Whitefield braces for Namma Metro Phase 2 work

Bengaluru: With namma Metro Phase 2 works making plans to start at Whitefield, over 7 lakh residents are nervous and apprehensive.

They worry that their lives will thrown  out of gear as massive construction and road digging work, barricading and blocking important segments of roads for traffic, are giving them sleepless nights. Companies and employees are bracing themselves for the coming ordeal.  

On the eve of this development, Whitefield Rising, IT companies and residents are keen to work in tandem with BMRCL. However, with no alternative roads and limited scope for maneuvering as land is scarce, the immediate future looks bleak.

Vasanth Rao, general manager (finance), BMRCL  says, “We cannot expect different treatment for Whitefield and commuters will have to face some form of inconvenience. However, if resident welfare associations or IT companies’ associations come forward with solutions to deal with the situation, we would not mind making alternative arrangements like providing extra parking space for 2000 vehicles and extra BMTC buses from Byappanahalli metro station. This will definitely mean 50-60 vehicles less on the roads. We can call a joint meeting and address these issues.”

BMTC Managing Director Ekroop Caur sounds a note of caution. “We can increase the services if there is a requirement but if there is less occupancy of seats we cannot ply the buses for long.”  
Srinidhi from Praja RAAG points out, “The local corporator should take a proactive step and work out the modalities of having alternative routes in place with the agencies. He should approach the people, especially those who have to part with their land, and convince them about the benefits of the metro.”

Areas like Benniganahalli, MM Temple, Nu-lite junction, Lowry School junction, Garudacharyapalya, Doddanakundi IT/SEZ are highly congested with traffic. In fact, BMRCL have assured they will widen the existing roads before beginning work on the Baiyappanahalli-Whitefield route. BMRCL is putting in place a comprehensive plan to divert and streamline traffic in the area before the commencement of the project.

Phase 1 to be completed by next year

Phase 1, which started in 2007, saw partial completion in 2011. For Phase 1 to be complete, it would end in mid-2016. Almost 10 years. Going by the same timeline, if Phase 2 work starts by this year end, it might be completed somewhere in 2023. With the population of Bangalore increasing every day, can Namma Bengaluru afford to wait for Namma Metro for so long? Considering the car volume, it is very important that metro work is taken up in Whitefield on a priority basis.

Many experts and citizens have criticized the metro for first floating tenders for Mysore road extensions and Kanakapura road extensions, rather than the real catchment areas like the IT hubs of the city, ITPL and EC. Srinidhi from Praja RAAG, an advocacy group, says, “BMRCL is looking to extend the metro on Tumkur Road and BIEC; it is not an ideal place.  The green line is less than half satisfactory, it is a fraction of what was initially projected and this affects the corporations’ bottom line really badly!  Around 50,000 trips per day was projected and the current number hovers around 12,000/13,000 only! So what’s wrong? The answers are many and the major one is the route! ITPL and EC have unfortunately been ignored and instead BMRCL looks elsewhere when planning and execution are concerned.”

Meanwhile he feels, it is not too late and the BMRCL can buckle up and start the work at Whitefield and EC as soon as possible. Similarly, urban expert R K Mishra too has been demanding that BMRCL take up metro construction in Whitefield on a priority basis. Vasanth Rao responds, “The acquisitions on these roads are almost over, so it is easier to start with these stretches. The land acquisitions in Whitefield will be completed by next year.”

Scant integration

None of the agencies nor the state government have taken any interest in the integration of public transport. The plan to build a station at Narayanapura station has been cancelled.  The Krishnarajapuram (K R Puram) station will be moved west by 295 meters due to objections from the Lowry Memorial High School over acquiring their property. Hence, experts feel now there is no way the agency will be able to integrate the railway station with the metro. However, BMRCL officials say they will be integrating the metro with the railway station

Lack of clarity

Many people still do not have clarity on the routes that will be covered by metro in Whitefield under Phase 2. Initially it was decided that metro would take a turn from Graphite India, but later it was said that it will come to Hoody and take a turn, which means it will take a turn which of more than 90 degrees, thereby slowing the pace of the train below 40. Many experts have questioned if
technologically this is feasible