<p>Namma Metro’s entry into the city’s busiest transport hub has injected a sense of urgency in upgrading Majestic’s now pathetic inter-modal linkages. The bus stands, railway and metro stations cannot work as islands anymore<br /><br />It is Bengaluru’s biggest transport hub, a gateway and interchange clubbed into one gigantic but messy loop. Did the opening of two Metro stations right in its heart add to the Majestic chaos or unfold the huge potential for a seamless transit junction six months later?<br /><br />Dusty, dilapidated and in dire need of a facelift, Majestic does look like nobody’s baby today. Dominating the hub, the Metro interchange station is still one big construction site. But even as everyone awaits Metro’s first phase completion, shouldn’t work start on the critical inter-modal linkages?<br /><br />First, the problem: Only one of the Majestic Metro station entrance / exit points is now open. Commuters land on the Gubbi Thotadappa Road. Yes, that is pretty close to the Bangalore City Railway Station. But there is no pedestrian crossing here!<br /><br />The only way to reach the Railway Station or the BMTC / KSRTC bus stands from the Metro Station is to walk on the messy footpath and take the subway. For senior citizens and those with heavy luggage, this is a tough task indeed. The other option is a longer, taxing walk to Gandhinagar.<br /><br />Foot overbridge<br /><br />Six months from now, if Metro’s North-South line sticks to its deadline, a second entrance will open to the KSRTC bus stand. But why wait for half a year. Urban mobility analyst, Sanjeev Dyamannavar suggests a foot overbridge from the existing entry point to the railway station side of the road.<br /><br />A long-term solution can be a subway from the underground level of the station opening onto the Railway Station side. To ease pedestrian movement towards the BMTC stand, an elevated link could be built from the station to the existing over-bridge with a down ramp to the KSRTC stand.<br /><br />The rationale, as articulated by Dyamannavar, is this: Ground-level access to the semi-circular BMTC stand through the KSRTC station will be extremely tough, especially during holiday peak seasons. With decongestion plans still in their infancy, the inter-State bus stand gets packed beyond capacity. An elevated link to the over-bridge will help Metro commuters bypass the chaos.<br /><br />Eventually, a network of subways emerging out of the Majestic interchange station could serve commuters better. Linking these underground passages to the existing subways could substantially decongest the surface roads. Models exist. Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, for instance, has multiple access gates, each connected to a subway leading to the underground ticket counters. Since the gates are outside the ring, commuters needn’t cross the road at all.<br /><br />Railway station link<br /><br />Just after the Majestic Metro station on the East-West line lies the station that carries the same name as the City Railway station. But the proximity ends there. The metro station lies beyond the last platform and the pit lanes. Access to the City station platforms and ticket counters is through a narrow over-bridge.<br /><br />Metro commuters entering the railway station through the bridge were actually booked for not possessing platform tickets, even before they reached the ticket counter!<br /><br />The issue has since been sorted out following a public outcry. But it shows a glaring lack of coordination between the Metro and South Western Railways. Once the Metro first phase is fully operationalised, the inter-agency linkages should dramatically improve, warns Advisor to the Government on traffic and transport, MN Sreehari.<br /><br />There is no choice, as an estimated 5-6 lakh commuters will converge at the Majestic interchange station, severely challenging the existing infrastructure at the transport hub. Decentralising bus services originating from the KSRTC stand to satellite bus stations is one option. But the project has not moved beyond shifting services to the Mysuru road and Shantinagar satellites.<br /><br />Private bus operators<br /><br />The refusal of politically well-connected private bus operators to shift their services to outlying areas has also stalled the decongestion plan. Many private inter-state buses pick up and drop passengers on roads surrounding the KSRTC / BMTC bus stands, triggering traffic congestion. Fearing loss of passengers to private players, KSRTC had to shift its services back from Peenya to Majestic.</p>
<p>Namma Metro’s entry into the city’s busiest transport hub has injected a sense of urgency in upgrading Majestic’s now pathetic inter-modal linkages. The bus stands, railway and metro stations cannot work as islands anymore<br /><br />It is Bengaluru’s biggest transport hub, a gateway and interchange clubbed into one gigantic but messy loop. Did the opening of two Metro stations right in its heart add to the Majestic chaos or unfold the huge potential for a seamless transit junction six months later?<br /><br />Dusty, dilapidated and in dire need of a facelift, Majestic does look like nobody’s baby today. Dominating the hub, the Metro interchange station is still one big construction site. But even as everyone awaits Metro’s first phase completion, shouldn’t work start on the critical inter-modal linkages?<br /><br />First, the problem: Only one of the Majestic Metro station entrance / exit points is now open. Commuters land on the Gubbi Thotadappa Road. Yes, that is pretty close to the Bangalore City Railway Station. But there is no pedestrian crossing here!<br /><br />The only way to reach the Railway Station or the BMTC / KSRTC bus stands from the Metro Station is to walk on the messy footpath and take the subway. For senior citizens and those with heavy luggage, this is a tough task indeed. The other option is a longer, taxing walk to Gandhinagar.<br /><br />Foot overbridge<br /><br />Six months from now, if Metro’s North-South line sticks to its deadline, a second entrance will open to the KSRTC bus stand. But why wait for half a year. Urban mobility analyst, Sanjeev Dyamannavar suggests a foot overbridge from the existing entry point to the railway station side of the road.<br /><br />A long-term solution can be a subway from the underground level of the station opening onto the Railway Station side. To ease pedestrian movement towards the BMTC stand, an elevated link could be built from the station to the existing over-bridge with a down ramp to the KSRTC stand.<br /><br />The rationale, as articulated by Dyamannavar, is this: Ground-level access to the semi-circular BMTC stand through the KSRTC station will be extremely tough, especially during holiday peak seasons. With decongestion plans still in their infancy, the inter-State bus stand gets packed beyond capacity. An elevated link to the over-bridge will help Metro commuters bypass the chaos.<br /><br />Eventually, a network of subways emerging out of the Majestic interchange station could serve commuters better. Linking these underground passages to the existing subways could substantially decongest the surface roads. Models exist. Delhi’s Rajiv Chowk Metro Station, for instance, has multiple access gates, each connected to a subway leading to the underground ticket counters. Since the gates are outside the ring, commuters needn’t cross the road at all.<br /><br />Railway station link<br /><br />Just after the Majestic Metro station on the East-West line lies the station that carries the same name as the City Railway station. But the proximity ends there. The metro station lies beyond the last platform and the pit lanes. Access to the City station platforms and ticket counters is through a narrow over-bridge.<br /><br />Metro commuters entering the railway station through the bridge were actually booked for not possessing platform tickets, even before they reached the ticket counter!<br /><br />The issue has since been sorted out following a public outcry. But it shows a glaring lack of coordination between the Metro and South Western Railways. Once the Metro first phase is fully operationalised, the inter-agency linkages should dramatically improve, warns Advisor to the Government on traffic and transport, MN Sreehari.<br /><br />There is no choice, as an estimated 5-6 lakh commuters will converge at the Majestic interchange station, severely challenging the existing infrastructure at the transport hub. Decentralising bus services originating from the KSRTC stand to satellite bus stations is one option. But the project has not moved beyond shifting services to the Mysuru road and Shantinagar satellites.<br /><br />Private bus operators<br /><br />The refusal of politically well-connected private bus operators to shift their services to outlying areas has also stalled the decongestion plan. Many private inter-state buses pick up and drop passengers on roads surrounding the KSRTC / BMTC bus stands, triggering traffic congestion. Fearing loss of passengers to private players, KSRTC had to shift its services back from Peenya to Majestic.</p>
