Integrate all transport modes to ease traffic, say experts

Is it not possible to cut down our travel time in the traffic jam-prone roads of Bengaluru? How to attract more number of commuters to use public transport? The key speakers at the workshop on Smart Mobility for Bengaluru on Friday highlighted the need to integrate urban mass transit system as well as other mode of transport as the primary solution. 

Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation asked the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to re-orient the routes keeping 42 Metro stations as a base.

“Namma Metro is able to provide seamless and eco-friendly travel...but it is weak in providing last mile connectivity. For this, the BMTC with over 2,000 bus shelters and 6,400 buses should operate revolving around Metro stations”, he said.

Kharola maintained that providing parking space in the Metro stations was only a temporary solution while integrating all mode of transport would be a game changer in the long run. The Metro network should be integrated with big, medium and small buses, taxi and cab aggregators, autorickshaws for commuters to travel smart”, he said. He reiterated that the entire 42-kms of Phase I project of Namma Metro would be available for the public by November 1.

‘Follow London model’

Pawan Mulukutla, Manager (Urban Transport), Sustainable Cities asked the government to take London as a model, which has successfully integrated all modes of transport.

Besides, he felt that there would be no problem of traffic jams on the outer ring road if six tech parks had provided accommodation in the vicinity of the office premises.

Urban expert Ashwin Mahesh asked the government to create a separate department for urban mobility and coordinating all modes of transport and regularly revising the choices.

Ramana Reddy, Principal Secretary, Transport department, who inaugurated the event, said that the Centre and State were keen on implementing the suburban rail project which would take away a lot of load from the roads. Bishwajit Mishra, Director (IT), BMTC said that soon 1,500 new buses would be deployed.
They would primarily revolve around the Metro stations and on the city outskirts.