Metro-bus-rail link: A work in progress

A reality check on inter-modal connectivity at all the East-West line Metro train stations

The Majestic interchange station is arguably the most critical link on the Namma Metro East-West line, connecting commuters to the hugely important transport hub.

But at 6 am on Saturday, when the line is commercially launched, the station will have just one entrance and exit point for the public. This will be on Gubbi Thotadappa Road, a good 10 minutes walk to the City Railway Station.

Tracking the connectivity of each East-West line station to other modes of public transport, Deccan Herald found BMTC bus stops within walking distance at most locations. But bus bays were a rarity. So were parking slots. However, the autorickshaws were everywhere!

If commuters alighted the Metro at the station named after the City Railway station, they would end up at the last platform, accessible only by a foot overbridge. But the reservation counter would be 500 metres away, a seven-minute walk.
  
Not yet seamless

You could hop off the Metro at Indiranagar, walk three minutes and hop on to a bus or autorickshaw to Domlur, Jeevan Bima Nagar or New Thippasandra. But is inter-modal commute so seamless at other stations on this Baiyappanahalli - Mysuru road line?

Flanked by the arterial Old Madras road, the Baiyappanahalli Metro terminal has few issues with bus connectivity or parking. The old railway station is just a foot overbridge away, and could potentially get packed with the IT crowd if a suburban train chugs its way from Whitefield.

However, it would be risky business for bus passengers coming into the city from KR Puram side. There are no skywalks or underpasses to get across to the station. Buses do stop, although there is no shelter. The best option would be to take the Metro at the Swami Vivekananda Road station, with good parking facility and a bus stop a few metres away.

Parking issues

Parking is a big issue at the Indiranagar and Halasuru stations. But buses and autorickshaws are aplenty. The bus stop is a three-minute walk from Trinity station. Beyond the bus-connected MG Road station, the Metro goes underground at the Cubbon Park station, from where the nearest bus stop on Queen’s road near Chinnaswamy stadium is over 500 metres away.

Next on the underground stretch is the Vidhana Soudha station, opening onto the Ambedkar Veedhi with bus stops in close proximity. Parking is not an issue here, although it gets tricky at the next station, Visvesvaraya, catering mostly to advocates and Central college students.

Rushing underground through Majestic and City Railway stations, the train eventually emerges out of the tunnel before the Magadi Road station. The elevated stretch covering Magadi Road, Hosahalli, Vijayanagar and Attiguppe stations is relatively hassle-free. BMTC bus stops are close by, although the road space has been eaten up by the Metro pillars.

Satellite bus link

At Deepanjali Nagar station, commuters headed to Mysuru, Kerala and inter-State destinations could alight and catch a bus / autorickshaw to the Mysuru road KSRTC satellite bus stand. But heavy traffic at the station entrance could prove tough for the passengers. The satellite bus stand is only 700 metres from this point. But the flyover link has no footpath!

The well designed Mysuru Road station could be the next best option. It has enough space for shuttle buses to pick up alighting passengers to the satellite stand. However, the road below the flyover is yet to be upgraded.