I will believe every word of BMRCL chief in this article. Those who have been closely watching this will agree with me that, for this goal BMRCL has stifled all other mass transit proposals. Idea was to project "Namma Metro" as the biggest wonder of Bengaluru City. What can we say? All the best !

At least some of us saw this coming.When the elected Govt is missing in the state, as it was more interested to save its rule coming to an end, Babudom prevails and we see all these. Here is the missing data that did not get printed in the article:

Phase 1 and 2 - 110 Kms Costing 40,000 Crores

Proposed Phase 3 (140 Kms) will cost another 50K - 60K Crores.

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I would say this is a better option considering there is no end to building roads and expanding them. This would only increase the number of vehicles in Bangalore adding pollution.

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With all this they are sure to make blr a living hell at least for a life time!

Unfortunate they are totally ignoring the elephant in the room in the form of CRS..ridiculous!

I have a friend who jokingly said we are living in a bad time..a decade or two earlier or later would have been great to live thru!

So true!

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Hard to not to leave this comment, but any talk of Commuter Rail would probably be detrimental to Metro Phase-3 asks. So, as much as we would want to say and believe that this is not an either/or thing, Metro/Commuter rail can and need to co-exist, it seems very likely that right now, that is not how "whoever is deciding the mobility spends" is seeing Metro and Commuter Rail.

Syed - perhaps you should reply to that old mail from Sivasailam sir, and make a simple question

• Do you think Commuter Rail is still required, even after Metro Phase-3
• Would Mr Sivasailam be willing to sign on a campaign requesting for a Commuter Rail network to cover wider Bangalore Metro/Satellite area? As BMRC Md, or even if as a private citizen of Bangalore?
• In the meetings to ask for or discuss funding for Metro-3, does Commuter Rail ever come up?

SB aka Pranav

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This is what Mr. Sivasailam had responded to my response to his earlier email to me:

"...You are quoting me out of context and is irrelevant here.

Projects of this nature are not done in vacuum and must have clearly identified strategies and plans. For project implementation, mere wish and pious intentions are insufficient. It has to be backed up by a DPR and for this purpose, a feasibility study is done to identify alignments that are ripe for taking up in phases. This is an important stage and it has been crossed now. We now have a plan. The plan now has to be put in an implementable framework which is the DPR.

Therefore, I do not share your cynicism. Of course, this development plan competes with other demands in the development program basket all which address the needs of the citizens in one way or the other. In our democratic system, it is the Political administration, who are elected by you and me, who are the final arbiter of things. We have been able to convince the political establishment of the need for CRS and therefore, the matters have moved further. Maybe we should consider things dispassionately looking at the decision making process from the point of view of the political establishment and see whether we would do things differently. Of course, it goes without saying that broadbased political support is essential for any big-ticket development agenda to have salience. This one is no different.

Have Patience. There are lot of people working to make it happen and let us hope that they will succeed.

N Sivasailam

MD BMRCL

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The email contents of which he responded to was:

"...Dear Mr. Sivasailam,

Thanks for taking time to respond to my questions. Your email amply addresses the concerns citizen’s like me about the progress of Proposals for CRS in Bangalore. It clearly gave an idea about your position on CRS project.

If you recall, once you had said, “...if there is a will there will be a train and if not you will have feasibility reports...”. It seems your words have come true in CRS. I must admit that after reading the Nov 17th meeting minutes, I am very disappointed with the tardy progress made on CRS front. I had hoped that projects are considered on its merits and needs of the time. The outcome of the Nov 17th, meeting reminds me of these lines: “...Transportation is not a technical Problem. Transportation is not even a financial problem. Transportation is a political problem...”.

In any case, thanks once again for your kind response to my questions.

Best Regards,

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Here is the terse but apt email response to my queries on Nov 17th meeting progress.

From Principal Secretary, UDD

Dec 2, 2012

"...Yes we are looking at it.  Since this is a cost intensive project, the project requires lots of thinking and co-ordination from various authorities and takes time. Once positive steps are taken, we hopefully will like to forward.

Regards,
Principal Secretary
Urban Development Department

Dec 13, 2012

"...I have gone through your mail.  Please have patience, as this is moving in a right direction.  We are taking up the matter to the Chief Secretary...."

Regards,
Principal Secretary
Urban Development Department

 
From Principal Secretary, IDD

Dec 22, 2012

"...Thanks for our mail.  I understand that Urban Development Department (UDD) and DULT held a meeting to discuss the report prepared by RITES.  UDD has suggested certain improvements.  The latest information on Commuter Rail is with the Commissioner of DULT.  I am requesting her to organise a meeting and hold discussion with your team & I will also participate.

regards,
Principal Secretary, IDD

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Original email to which the above responded:

Dr. Amita Prasad, Greetings,

We have not heard anything on the meeting that was held on Nov 17th to discuss the Commuter Rail Service proposal. I would appreciate if you could share the details of the meeting to know the outcome of the meeting.

In absence of official statement from your office, there have been lot of rumors floating around regarding how the other competing Infrastructure projects like Metro, HSRL etc have been preventing commuter rail project from being approved and implemented. Is there any truth in it? If the rumors are turned out to be true, than I must say that people of Bengaluru city and towns around have been once again disappointed by the very government that they look up to. I sincerely hope that this is not the case and dynamic, growth oriented officers like you will ensure that commuter rail project this time sees the success that has eluding for past 27 years.

In the end I would like to make a request for a copy of the meeting minutes of this Nov 17th meeting to satisfy myself and hundreds like me that CRS project is making progress.

Best Regards,
 

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Ashwin mahesh has been asking on his FB post to collect a few questions .. that can be asked to Metro Boss, in some conference in IIM Bangalore today afternoon.

I have posted one there about the same lines.

If you have any more, please post there - https://www.facebook.com/ashwin.mahesh/posts/4902395433391?comment_id=5111497&notif_t=like

Deepak

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I dont think, Metro will be extended beyond phase II. There are competing projects like light rail and CRS. Unless,Metro is able reduce costs, it probably will not be approved for phase III.  In the next phase, surely cost will be consideration. Metro does not need phase III now, maybe in 20 years, it will be needed.

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The debate should be, Metro and what else? Not, Metro versus Others?

A city like Bengaluru need all of these:

1. Non-Motorized Transport (Cycling) and Pedesterian friendly corridors
2. Metro Like system to work as high speed mass urban transit system connecting Sub-urbs with CBD.
3. LRT/Monorail as mass transit inside city limits
4. Commuter/Suburban Rail services connecting nearby towns and City Centers
5. PT Buses for last mile, connecting areas left out by #1, 2, 3.
6. Bringing Auto/Taxis/Cabs to be part of PT systems.

Each one caters and serves a section and in the end every locality is served by one or other PT system.

It is clear from the replies from BMRCL chief, instead of treading a path of having different mass transit systems in the city, the debate has been turned into "Metro Vs Others".

Instead of treating other transit plans as complimentary and supplementary, are being projected as competing projects. Nothing can be utter stupidity than this.

"Metro Only" solution is not sustainable. This idea should be dismissed on its cost alone when less money can provide much more than Metro can provide in replacement of other proposed mass transit systems.

Naveen is right, it is much more worth spending on Rail based mass transit systems than building High speed corridors roads.

Time for moving people, not Cars. Time to build reliable sustainable mass transit systems in Bangalore and around it. Time to penalize using of private vehicles on city roads.

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Mr Sivasialam,

Its good to Look ahead and Plan for the Future and not to Plan when it is essential. ( Any ways Phase 3 Commissioning will be in 2025 by that time Bangalore would have developed to 35 ~ 40 Km in radius ).Lesson learnt from Phase-1 and difficulty to have metro in the Developed areas should be avoided in the future and have metro in places required before it gets fully developed and crowdy.Yes being developing country Money constraints will always hinder this process.

My suggestion why dont we have metro extended from Bommasandra to Athibele altogether in phase 2 the pain of Traffic problems will go through in one go. Why wait for phase 3 Connecting metro to Ring Roads.Intention is STRR or BMRDA Ring Road will go through Athibele is it not wise to have it extended up to athibele. ( By the time phase 2 completes Athibele will have sizeable, developed and number of commuters will be more )

Regards

Pradeep 

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