How to make best use of space under metros

How to make best use of space under metros


Kavitha KushalappaFirst Published : 03 Nov 2009 04:45:00 AM ISTLast Updated : 03 Nov 2009 07:23:39 AM IST
BANGALORE: Some more lessons from Delhi Metro Rail and the Mumbai flyovers.
This time, it is about how best to optimise the utilisation of space and provide traffic medians that will care for the ecology, aesthetics and civic necessities of the city all at once.
Upon a reference note from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), a twomember team from the traffic engineering cell of Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike (BBMP) will soon undertake a four-day tour (November 10 to 13) of Delhi and Mumbai to study the design for the traffic medians between the pillars or piers of the metro rail and flyovers.
The spaces between the piers or below the viaduct can be left as just green patches or be converted unto scientifically designed vehicle parking lots.
The point is also about protecting the metro structure and eliminating the scope for unregulated flow of traffic between these open spaces, engineering experts in the BBMP explained.
“If the decision is for green patches, then we could look at the plant varieties that are known for their carbon absorption capacities,” explained one them.
Currently, in the case of Bangalore’s flyovers, the medians wherever they have been put up are mostly pre-stressed concrete blocks — six to eight inches in height, officials observed and noted that they were easily dismantled and destroyed by traffic offenders.
Shortcut-seeking truck drivers and two-wheelers riders were the main culprits, they said.
A higher officer of BMRCL noted that they were not in favour of parking lots under the viaduct.
“Basically, for safety reasons (structure-wise) we do not want to allow parking. We are actually looking at green spaces - a variety of plants and aesthetics,” he said and added that BMRCL would take a decision after the BBMP submitted its study report.
BBMP officers said that a traffic review action committee comprising senior officers of BBMP and traffic police would take a call after hearing the traffic engineers when they are back from their study.
Division bench to hear plea on Metro in Cubbon Park
The Chief Justice bench of the High Court has referred the public interest litigation challenging the BMRCL project in Cubbon Park limits, to a division bench.
While hearing a petition by Bimal Desai and others, the bench headed by Chief Justice P D Dinakaran transferred the case to a division bench for further hearing.
The petitioner’s advocate had submitted that without any survey, work on the Metro project was being carried out in Cubbon Park limits. This could affect the ecology and environment of the park, the petition said.