CMP seeks to shift people to public transport

In a major turn for the city’s development, the government’s comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) sets the ambitious goal of increasing the mode share of public transport from 30% to 73% by 2035, when Bengaluru’s population is expected to reach 2 crores.

The CMP makes a distinction between the mere augmentation of public transport combined with multi-modal transport and the ‘comprehensive mobility strategy’, involving 10 key mobility plans, starting from transit-oriented development, regulation of private vehicles besides enhancing public transport.

The policy asks of the government to make private vehicle users pay for the pollution and congestion they cause. In effect, it seeks that people should be pushed towards public transport, which will have to be expanded and augmented to meet the increased demands.

Continuing with business as usual means about 60% of the city’s total trips during peak hour will be met by cars, taxis (30%) and two-wheelers (29%), whereas public transport plays a marginal role by sharing only 36% of the trips.

The CMP seeks to reduce the share of cars and taxis to 17%, two-wheelers to 8% while the public transport will play a major role by moving 73% of the commuters.

The policy, prepared by iDeck with the guidance of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) and Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), proposes a total of 80 infrastructure works estimated to be implemented in three phases at Rs 2.30 lakh crore.

Besides funding from the state and Central governments, the draft policy suggests ways to mobilise additional resource through land value capture, parking fee, congestion fee, revenue from advertisements and imposition of a surcharge on certain infrastructure projects.

The public-private partnership (PPP) and transferable development rights are seen as two other sources of revenue.

The government is suggested to operationalise the Bengaluru Mobility Management Authority (BMMA), with a legislative mandate and power to decide on investments in sustainable urban transport systems.

The public can go through the draft policy uploaded on the DULT website and make suggestions or objections by January 3, 2020.

Major projects in CMP

165 km suburban rail

11 bus corridors (202 km) and 15000 buses

550 bicycle-sharing hubs

50 parking lots in core areas

92 km elevated road corridor

548 km of footpath

174 km of cycle track