Traffic centres to house malls

Traffic centres to house malls


Bengaluru, June 8: The government has given the green signal for the construction of 45 new traffic transit management centres (TTMC) across the city. The project, being proposed to encourage the use of public transport, is expected to cut down traffic congestion in the city by half The project is being taken up the Central government on an experimental basis for the first time in India. Two days ago, a meeting headed by the Chief Minister discussed the project in detail. During the meeting with the expert committee members, it was decided that 45 TTMC’s will be built in a span of three years.

Speaking to this newspaper, Mr Upendra Tripathy, managing director, BMTC said, “Out of the 45 TTMCs, 10 are being funded by government bodies and the remaining 35 are being taken up under public-private partnership,” “BMTC is funding 50 per cent of the 10 projects funded by the government. The state government will fund up to 15 per cent of the cost and the remaining 35 per cent will be given by the central government,” said Mr. Tripathy.

He also said that the under construction TTMC at Jayanagar IV block will be completed before January 2009. The work on the seven other TTMCs will be completed before July 2010. “The tenders for the remaining two TTMCs are yet to be announced,” said Mr Tripathy. According to the project plans drafted a year ago, the upper floors at the TTMCs will have shops and commercial establishments, including shopping malls, ATMs, medical shops, facility for payment of public utility bills like Bangalore One. These TTMC’s will also have parking facilities for 1,000 four-wheelers.

“The TTMCs will not only reduce traffic congestion in the city but would also bring down the pollution level and accidents too, if more people embrace the new high-tech facility,” said Mr M.N. Sreehari, a member of the of the expert committee.