BENGALURU: Work on a bus bay at the Yesvantpur railway station that can accommodate a maximum of six buses is set to start shortly after a four-month covid induced lockdown.
Meanwhile, the long-planned Foot Over Bridge (FOB) that could connect the railway station and the Metro on one end, an eight-year-old demand, is yet to see any physical progress. Another bridge proposed to connect both entries of the station via all platforms is likely to be shelved for now.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, a senior railway official said that work on the bus station on the Tumakuru side of the station which had abruptly stopped due to the pandemic had restarted. “Passengers alighting at the station who presently travel upto Tumakuru Road to board buses can take it just inside the railway station premises. It would take anywhere between 2.5 and 3 months for the bus station to be ready from our end. A maximum of 6 buses can be parked here.”
A senior BMTC official said, “We are looking at operating only short distance buses from the station premises. It could cover a maximum of 7 to 8 kms. At present, nearly 2000 buses pass along the Tumakuru Road which is a walkable distance away from the railway station.” Railways needs to put in place the path from its premises to the main road on priority, which has not been done so far, he added.
An FOB that would connect the Metro and railway stations, also on the Tumakuru Road side, is yet to see the light of the day. A senior railway official said, “It is only a bridge running to a distance of less than 100 metres. Structural designs need to be submitted by BMRCL and it has to be approved by experts at IIT. Work will be done by BMRCL once all technical clearance are available” He did not give any deadline for its completion.
Another proposal mooted by BMRCL two years ago to construct a second bridge that would connect the congested main entry (Market side) of the station to its second entry passing through all the six platforms is likely to be shelved. “BMRCL is having a rethink on it and feels it may not be necessary," the official added.