Bengaluru's traffic conundrum: Metro rail to the outskirts, suburban rail confined to city limits, and tunnel vision

Bengaluru ranked as the sixth most congested city globally in 2023.

On the face of it, Bengaluru, which ranked as the sixth most congested city globally in 2023, appears to be regressing in terms of its traffic planning, say experts.

And both the central and state governments may be responsible. On its part, the state government proposes to expand the Metro rail system, originally designed for core city areas, to the outskirts, which experts say is not prudent. The Union government, meanwhile, is sitting on a proposal for a feasibility study to expand the suburban rail network to connect satellite towns, which would benefit them greatly.

And then again, Deputy CM and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar has been pushing for the construction of tunnel roads, a move the experts say could potentially incentivise the usage of private vehicles in a city that is already crippled by traffic jams.

Also, read: Tech hub Bengaluru ranks 6th most congested city globally in 2023: TomTom report

Meanwhile, the bus fleet of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), which serves as the city's lifeline, remains stagnant at 6,074, despite a demand for 12,000 to 14,000 buses.

Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA), which was notified by the state government in January 2023 to improve coordination among various government agencies, is conspicuously absent from the city's mobility planning, say the observers. The authority’s officials, however, say that their hands are tied at the moment because of the Model Code of Conduct being in effect during the polling season.

Also, read: Six months on, London-like transport authority to ease Bengaluru’s traffic chaos remains on paper

Asked why the BMLTA is still not functioning, Rakesh Singh, additional chief secretary, urban development department, told Moneycontrol: "BMLTA will come into effect once the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha polls is over. The CM is the chairman of BMLTA, which has to address public issues, so it cannot function while the MCC is in place."

However, experts allege that without the BMLTA, the state government appears to be engaging in unilateral discussions without even adhering to the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), prepared by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) in 2020.

Sathya Sankaran of CiFoS (Citizens for Sustainability) said: "BMLTA provides discipline and a system for evaluating and approving projects. Without BMLTA, the more we do, the more problems we create."

"At some point, we need to realise that without a system to approve projects and a structured approach to evaluating alternatives, we'll always be creating projects based on the whims and fancies of a few decision-makers," he said.

Metro to outskirts

The CMP has also proposed expanding the Metro network in Bengaluru to 317 km by 2031. Currently, only 73.8 km is operational, with an additional 101.5 km under construction. Given this reality, the target is unlikely to be achieved.

However, without completing the corridors outlined in the CMP, which was prepared by the BMRCL and focuses on core city areas with a higher population density, the state government has instructed the Metro agency to extend the network to peripheral areas.

This move, experts allege, is aimed at benefiting certain real estate firms in those areas. Sanjeev Dyamannavar, a public transport campaigner, said, "Metro systems often boost real estate values in those areas, prompting politicians to extend them to the outskirts, sometimes as a mere election gimmick. But people may hesitate to take the Metro for more than 50 km because it takes longer time. A suburban rail or RRTS is the best alternative to connect Bengaluru's satellite towns".

"For instance, Delhi Metro has expanded to a large extent, but they realised that the Metro is not going to serve the purpose for longer distances. That is the reason why they opted for RRTS (Regional Rapid Transit System) from Delhi to Meerut on a war footing. They also built an express airport line because it requires quicker transfers," said Dyamannavar.

"Bengaluru airport should have quicker transport mode because people may not be keen to go to the airport on a slow train with multiple stoppages. For instance, a Metro journey from Bidadi to the airport may take nearly three hours," Dyamannavar added.

"Also, Bengaluru Metro has only six coaches compared to nine coaches in Delhi. In the Metro's configuration, 20% is seating and 80% standing because it is meant for short distances. For suburban rail, it will be 70% seating and 30% standing,” Dyamannavar pointed out. “Most suburban stations are at-grade, so there is a possibility to extend the number of coaches, but with Metro being elevated, it is not possible.”

“Also, rolling stock on suburban rail (broad gauge) can accommodate more passengers compared to Metro (standard gauge). People will not prefer to stand for long distances in crowded coaches if BMRCL extends it to the outskirts. This will also defeat the purpose of Metro, which is meant for short-distance travel,” he said.

Also, read: Bengaluru: BMRCL to prepare feasibility report for 118 km extension to outskirts, floats tender

BMRCL floated bids for consultancy services for the preparation of a feasibility study report for the extension of Metro rail corridors to the outskirts like Bidadi, Attibele, Harohalli, and Jigani in two packages (total 110 km) on February 23. In the 2024-2025 Karnataka state budget, CM Siddaramaiah announced the extension of the Metro rail to Tumakuru and Devanahalli on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

However, the corridors suggested in the CMP to cover city limits, such as the JP Nagar 4th Phase-Kempapura stretch along ORR West, Hosahalli-Kadabagere line along Magadi Road, Whitefield–Domlur Line, Katamnallur Gate–Sarjapur Road–Hebbal, and Inner Ring Metro,  remain on paper.

While the Union government is likely to approve two Phase 3 corridors—Magadi Road and ORR West—BMRCL will soon submit the Detailed Project Report  for Sarjapur Road to the state government. However, there is no progress on other corridors.

The Union government is also unlikely to approve corridors that are not part of the CMP. “The feasibility study will reveal whether Metro or RRTS or any other modes are viable for these areas. We will take a decision based on the feasibility study and recommend it to the state government,” said a senior BMRCL official.

Suburban rail confined within city

While the Union government sanctioned the suburban rail project in October 2020 with a completion time of six years (by 2026), Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who laid the foundation stone in June 2022, stated that the project, first mooted in 1983, would be completed in 40 months.

Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company (K-RIDE), the executing agency for the project, had said the first section from Yeshwantpur to Chikkabanavara (7.4 km) would be ready by December 2025 and the entire project by 2027.

But its extension has hit a roadblock.

Bengaluru's suburban rail project's Phase 2 is supposed to cover 452 km and will connect satellite towns/cities, including Kolar, Tumakuru, Mysuru, Bangarapet, Hosur, and Gauribidanur.

Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE)  has prepared a proposal to expand the network to nearby cities and towns.

K-RIDE has also sought the approval of the Union Ministry of Railways to conduct a pre-feasibility study for the expansion of the network. However, the Railways has turned down the proposal and is pushing for a 287-km rail network encircling Bengaluru city.

Also, read: Bengaluru suburban rail expansion plans to satellite towns stalled as South Western Railway raises red flags

Rajkumar Dugar, a commuter rail activist, said, "The idea of suburban rail is to facilitate travel to nearby towns, while the Metro is for shorter distances within a city. While Metro's construction costs range from Rs 300 to Rs 500 crore per km, suburban rail, equipped with air-conditioned trains and stations, costs only Rs 100 crore per km within the city, and outside, the cost drops to Rs 60 to Rs 70 crore."

Dugar said that extending suburban rail to outskirts and nearby towns is more feasible, cost-effective, and expedient compared to the metro.

He pointed out that metro fares are considerably higher than suburban rail because of the high construction costs.

South Western Railway officials said K-RIDE should focus on completing the existing four corridors before planning its expansion to the outskirts.

"We are planning a circular railway and also track upgradation of existing lines," said an official.

Tunnel roads

While presenting the state budget, CM Siddaramaiah announced that a tunnel road would be constructed between Hebbal Junction and Mekhri Circle. Officials said that they are planning a 3.9-km tunnel road on Bellari Road from Esteem Mall near Hebbal to the Palace grounds.

Also, read: Bengaluru traffic: IISc bats for Inner Ring underground Metro over DKS’ tunnel road plan

Deputy CM Shivakumar had proposed the construction of 190 km of tunnel roads on the east-west and north-south corridors across the city. However, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) opposed this proposal and suggested a fully underground Metro instead. "The Inner Ring Metro line is proposed along the city's congested corridor, providing extended coverage for the central part of the city. Every location where the Inner Ring Metro line intersects with other Metro lines will have an interchange, facilitating seamless journeys for commuters," the IISc report said.

Not enough buses

While the city has 1.1 crore registered private vehicles, the number of BMTC buses is only 6,074. According to CMP, BMTC's fleet size should be expanded to 13,000 in 2025 and 16,582 by 2031. However, the target is unlikely to be met due to the slow pace of bus induction despite an increase in passengers after the free bus travel for women (Shakti scheme).

Also, read: Bus service hits bump, BMTC struggles with dwindling fleet

Post-Shakti, daily ridership has increased from 33 lakh to 40 lakh. "We need additional crew to add more buses, but we may reach a fleet strength of 7,000 by next year with the addition of new buses," said a BMTC official.

Shaheen Shasa, co-founder of Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), said: "We are happy that women are getting benefits, but the bigger problem is we don't have enough buses. We need more buses and routes so more women can access buses."

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