State eyes foreign funds for Light Rail System

The Infrastructure Development Department (IDD) will table the proposed Light Rail System (LRS) project at the upcoming Global Investors Meet (GIM), to be held in City from February 3 to 5, in a bid to attract foreign investments for the same.

The department has proposed the Light Rail System in two corridors -  JP Nagar to Hebbal on Outer Ring Road (31.3 km), and Toll Gate to Peripheral Ring Road on Magadi Road (10.6 km).

The estimated cost of the twin corridors is Rs 10,875 crore. But the IDD has ignored the proposal, presented by the traffic experts in November, 2015, for an LRS from Domlur to ITPB. A senior IDD official, on condition of anonymity, told Deccan Herald: “Traffic experts made a proposal to the department. But the IDD took the decision based on the priorities.

The cost of the project is huge and the government has already invested heavily in Metro. So, to attract more investment, it (LRS project) will be tabled at the GIM. However, the feasibility reports of all three projects (including a LRS proposal for Domlur-ITPB) have been prepared and they are currently placed before the Cabinet for its approval. The government wants to implement them on public-private partnership basis. The twin corridors under Light Rail System are aimed at complementing the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRTS).”

Srinidhi S, a member of Praja-Raag, said that the LRS should have been planned for the Domlur-Whitefield stretch on a priority basis as it lacked proper transportation system and infrastructure is poor.

According to the proposal made by traffic experts, the said LRS connected Domlur, Indiranagar, Manipal Hospital, Murugeshpalya, HAL area, Marathahalli, Kundanahalli and ITPB.

Need of the hour

Both IDD and Praja are of the opinion that LRS was the need of the hour as it attracted lesser investment compared to Metro, and would carry more people compared to BRTS.

The LRS can be constructed on the existing road medians and each km would cost between Rs 35 crore and Rs 60 crore. This form of transport is ideal for smaller roads, where Metro cannot reach and curves/turns are sharper with smaller radius. Metro has already been proposed on ORR. Further, the stretch from the Central Silk Board to JP Nagar is apt for BRTS as there are flyovers, Srinidhi added.