Janaagraha suggests neighbourhood business centres in new areas

Janaagraha suggests neighbourhood business centres in new areas
The Hindu

The suggestion finds a place in the technical review report on Master Plan 2015

# For a better Bangalore Master plan lacks regional approach to public transport
# Only integrated transport network in the new areas can prevent traffic jams
# Builders should be offered incentives to include economical dwelling units in their projects

Bangalore: Janaagraha said its suggestions related to the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP)-2015 have been included in the report of the technical review committee headed by P.S.S. Thomas.

One significant suggestion is to have multiple neighbourhood business centres instead of a single central business district with decentralised planning. Janaagraha wants these centres to be given priority in infrastructure spending, provide more public parking and become hubs for public transportation. Most commercial needs of a specific area can be met at these local centres.

Lack of regional approach in the master plan to public transport has been pointed out by several citizens' groups. If a regional integrated transport network is not planned at least now, the city may be paralysed by traffic jams. Without intelligent integration of bus, rain, metro, air and road transport, there can be more chaos and parking may become a nightmare. This is already happening in many new extensions. The city planners and the police have taken some of these suggestions seriously.

The newer suburbs may now be planned with their shopping complexes as the BDA has been doing for some years now. What troubles the planners is that recreational facilities are still confined, with a few exceptions, to the central areas.

Most cinemas, including the multiplexes, are there as are the upmarket hotels, restaurants and clubs. On the transportation front, the plans for the metro rail provides for integration with the city buses with each metro station fed by a number of bus routes.

The outer suburbs too will be connected by city buses to their nearest metro station. For the new international airport coming up, a number of ideas have been floated for approval by the Government.

The railways may have a fast train from Cantonment Station to the airport.