BENGALURU: With the final touches being given to the much-awaited foot overbridge (FOB) extension from the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus station to the Central dome of the Kempe Gowda Metro station, bus commuters, the trading community in Gandhinagar, as well as local residents just cannot wait for its opening. While minor works that would be completed in a week's time are being carried out presently, the bridge is expected to be declared open by this month-end by ministers of the new government.
A bridge from the existing Gandhinagar subway presently takes one to the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus station. Midway, a left deviation has been created above Terminal One of the KSRTC bus station and a bridge built here that would take one to the Metro station's West entrance. "This will provide excellent connectivity for both BMTC and KSRTC commuters to the Metro station," said a BMTC official.
A senior official of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) which is carrying out the project at a cost of nearly Rs 1.5 crore, said, "The roof top work, lighting and some fencing works are yet to be completed." When completed, the ROB would reduce the walking distance of 800 metres for the public to the Metro station to around 200 metres, he added.
Hawkers of all kinds of good are found at the entrance of this subway. K R Raghavendra, owner of Sadran Exports at nearby S C Road, says, "This is a much awaited bridge for me. I walk nearly 15 minutes daily to reach the Metro station to visit Srirampura. It would be reduced to 8 minutes for me I think." Expressing his happiness over the bridge, he says, "I keep on asking Metro staff at the Kempe Gowda station when it would be open. I am really relieved to know it will be done so shortly."
Kashif, employee at Jabbar Travels on Tank Bund Road, who commutes daily from Tank Bund Road to the Metro station to head to Yeshwantpur says, "It is a very long route I walk every night to reach the Metro station. This would be daily relief for me." Many of their customers would benefit, he adds. "Many book tickets online or over phone and want to board our bus from here. After reaching the Metro station, they call and ask me how to reach here. It is really very complicated."
Prakash Anand, employee at Hotel Channabasveshwara restaurant, who commutes once a week to Konnagunte in Yelahanka says, "It will be a good development for the entire area when this happens."
Many of those who alighted at KSRTC bus station were spotted taking the existing lengthy skywalk, alighting from the stairs opposite the Krantivira Sangolli Railway station and walking to the Metro station. "This will be such a relief for me," says Raghavan, who commutes daily by bus from Channapatna to the bus depot here and then takes a Metro train to his workspot in Gorguntepalya.
"To avoid the long walk to the Metro station, some people in Gandhinagar prefer to board a bus at this spot. These bus commuters are likely to switch over to a Metro train when this bridge is completed," said a Metro official based here.