BENGALURU: The need for the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to provide bus and rail connectivity in its draft for the Revised Master Plan 2031 from Nayandahalli Metro station to NGEF Layout, Balaji Layout and D Group Layout among others was stressed upon by the public on Tuesday.
Taking part in the 6th public consultation organised by the BDA in connection with its draft on the Revised Master Plan 2031 at Rajarajeswari Nagar, L Jayaramaiah, a frequent commuter to Vidhana Soudha from Nayandahalli Metro station said that it took him just 15 minutes to commute the distance by Metro.
“However, I have to change three BMTC buses and spend almost two hours to reach my house in Balaji Layout which is just 3 km from the Metro station.”
“There is an urgent need to provide some mini bus service from Nayandahalli Metro station to ensure people make good use of public transport. At least six trips need to be provided each day,” Jayaramaiah added.
Seconding the need to improve connectivity was another Jayaramaiah, president of the Karnataka State D Group Employees Layout Residents Welfare Association.
“The D Group Layout is nearly 8 km from the Nayandahalli Metro station. We need to have a MonoRail that would connect us to the station. Residents in our layout struggle to reach home from Metro station daily,” he said.
He also called upon the BDA to make it mandatory for every household to plant at least two trees.
S Ramesh, Executive Committee member of the Banashankari VI Stage BDA Layout Residents Association called upon the Bangalore Railway Division to ensure rail connectivity from Kengeri to Kanakapura Road and Hosur Road.
“Apart from helping passengers, it will help enormously in the transportation of vegetables between these areas,” he said.
The Layout lacks bus connectivity to Majestic and K R Market areas and the residents called upon BDA to ensure this grievance is redressed in the Master Plan.
Ideal Homes Layout resident Varadarajan questioned the expertise of the BDA in developing a plan for the entire City. He also sought to know who was going to ensure it would be implemented.
In response, Transportation expert Vinobha Sunder Singh who played a crucial role in ready-ing the plan, said, “We had extensive discussions with BMRCL, BMTC and the Railways before coming up with the RMP’s draft.”
Homemaker Savithri S said, “The draft does not explain how the plan will be executed. It is easy to keep making plans but how are they going to be implemented?”
In response, M N Kumar, Joint Director, Town Planning, BDA, said, “This is just a draft of the plan we have in mind. When it takes a final shape, it will have all the aspects.”