Metro will boost development in Baiyappanahalli

Metro will boost development in Baiyappanahalli
S Praveen Dhaneshkar Bangalore, July 20, DHNS

As Baiyappanahalli is set to gain prominence as a major public transport hub of the City from December, road connectivity to provide a link from the ‘Namma Metro’ depot to the satellite bus terminus of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is on the cards.

With the proposed world class South Western Railway station at Baiyappanahalli also located adjacent to the depot and the bus terminus, Metro Rail authorities have proposed construction of a grade separator to connect Old Madras Road to the satellite bus terminus for better connectivity from the national highway to the KSRTC terminal and the SW Railway station.

Sources in the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) say, the present road connecting the two is being seen as circuitous from the motorists’ point of view.

“Commissioning of the Metro project in December 2010, could be a turning point for Baiyappanahalli and surrounding areas. Apart from being a link to both rail and road-based inter-State connectivity, where passengers can alight/board a bus or a train and reach their respective destinations on the Metro, vehicular traffic on Old Madras Road is also expected to go beyond the imagination of anyone,” said an official.

According to sources, the RITES Ltd (Rail India Technical and Economic Society Ltd), a Government of India Enterprise has been asked to prepare an interim technical proposal on the feasibility of construction of either a Road Over Bridge (ROB) or a Road Under Bridge (RUB) to connect the road leading to the NGEF land and the Old Madras Road.

“A concept has been prepared and will be submitted to BMRCL shortly. Soil and geo-technical investigation will also have to be carried out. The choice will be left to BMRCL. The SW Railway trackline lies sandwiched between the KSRTC satellite bus terminus and Old Madras Road. It (grade separator) has to be carefully planned and executed across a length of 650 mtrs,” said a source.

KSRTC Managing Director Gaurav Gupta said it is definitely desirable to have easier connectivity from Old Madras Road to the proposed satellite terminus expected to be taken up for construction on a public-private-partnership (PPP) basis.

“RITES has prepared a technical proposal and is in the domain of discussion. Mode of finance of the proposed grade separator, will it be implemented on a stand alone basis or sharing of investment between KSRTC and BMRCL, timeline for completion and other details will be decided in due course,” said Gupta.