Contributor,
Tilak Subramaniam
Tilak Subramaniam
It appears that the long wait for the commencement of the R. V. Road- Bommasandra line will just get a little longer. For passengers seeking an early inauguration on this stretch, it is going to be a frustrating wait. However, many issues need to be addressed if the authorities are looking to make this venture a success.
For starters, in all probability, the second train set can be expected to reach in mid Jan 2025 for the yellow line, and the third set will follow by early Feb. These 2 train sets are in a fairly advanced stage of test and trials at Titagarh, pushing the launch date to March 2024. The yellow line with 3 train sets proposes a 30-minute frequency with limited stoppages. So what does this imply?
To begin with, a successful metro has 3 ingredients viz. reliability, punctuality, and frequency. If any one of the 3 elements is found wanting, sure enough, it is a recipe for disgruntlement. Major metros around the world have regular fast frequencies. The yellow line initially can not boast of good frequencies posing challenging times to the BMRCL authorities.
The second major issue is the last mile connectivity. Whilst at almost all stations, tenders have been invited for 2 wheeler parking spaces. However, the provision for space for 4 wheeler parking has not been factored as yet. This will discourage users who need to use a car to reach the metro station.
A third point pertains to last mile connectivity of the BMTC schedule. This hasn’t been released as yet, and it certainly is an area that merits consideration.
“Finally, once the line is thrown open to the public, urban mobility experts feel, the stations between Raggigudda and Central Silk Board Metro stations will witness overwhelming crowds, and the 30-minute frequency will be a logistics challenge to cope up with both traffic and passenger movement management ”
For starters, in all probability, the second train set can be expected to reach in mid Jan 2025 for the yellow line, and the third set will follow by early Feb. These 2 train sets are in a fairly advanced stage of test and trials at Titagarh, pushing the launch date to March 2024. The yellow line with 3 train sets proposes a 30-minute frequency with limited stoppages. So what does this imply?
To begin with, a successful metro has 3 ingredients viz. reliability, punctuality, and frequency. If any one of the 3 elements is found wanting, sure enough, it is a recipe for disgruntlement. Major metros around the world have regular fast frequencies. The yellow line initially can not boast of good frequencies posing challenging times to the BMRCL authorities.
The second major issue is the last mile connectivity. Whilst at almost all stations, tenders have been invited for 2 wheeler parking spaces. However, the provision for space for 4 wheeler parking has not been factored as yet. This will discourage users who need to use a car to reach the metro station.
A third point pertains to last mile connectivity of the BMTC schedule. This hasn’t been released as yet, and it certainly is an area that merits consideration.
“Finally, once the line is thrown open to the public, urban mobility experts feel, the stations between Raggigudda and Central Silk Board Metro stations will witness overwhelming crowds, and the 30-minute frequency will be a logistics challenge to cope up with both traffic and passenger movement management ”
