BENGALURU: A draft of the city’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan, which aims to create an efficient ecosystem by integrating various transport systems, estimates the cost of necessary infrastructure projects at Rs 2,30,104 crore, to be implemented in three phases between 2020 and 2035.
To mobilise the vast resources required, it suggests levying of cess on Bengalureans that could augment government funding. The plan, readied by Directorate of Urban Land Transport and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) was made public during the weekend on the BMRCL website for public to share their views on it by January 6, 2020.
The plans include 314 km of mass transit corridors covering major transit paths in the city, 231 km of dedicated high-capacity corridors, new roads running to 515 km and missing link roads of a further 515 km.
Bulk of the investment funding for the projects has to come from fiscal resources of the State and Centre, it said. To complement it, the plan has proposed levying of cess while granting permission to public for development of land and buildings.
“This should be used to augment water supply and sewer systems, construct Peripheral Ring Road, widen arterial roads, establish mass rapid transit systems and improve slums:” it said. This cess can be levied under Section 18A of Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, according to the report.
It also called for parking fee, congestion fee, PPP with corporate companies for Metro station naming rights and access among other aspects for mobilising additional resources.
To fund widening of roads, a Transferable Development Rights (TDR) scheme needs to be put in place. The TDR refers to certification given in lieu of land acquired from anyone for projects and which can be used where land is available. “An electronic platform for TDR trading should be established:” it added.
Metro’s Phase-3 corridor is proposed to run to 331 km, Metrolite at-grade, as well as elevated system, has been proposed. “The elevated one refers to a lighter metro with leaner stations. It costs much lesser than the regular metro system,” explained Managing Director, BMRCL, Ajay Seth. It can carry 15,000 PHPDT as against 40,000 by normal Metro, he said.