BENGALURU: A section of residents from Chikkajala is demanding that the upcoming Metro line to Kempegowda International Airport provides a stoppage at Chikkajala, which figured in the original Detailed Project Report (DPR) readied for the Airport Line in September 2017.
Taking part in a Public Open House on the Blue Line Corridor (Central Silk Board to KR Puram (Phase 2A) and KR Puram to KIA (Phase 2B) organised by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) on Friday afternoon, C N Manoj, a software professional and resident of Chikkajala said it was the taluk headquarters. “It is densely populated with schools, colleges, hospitals and police stations, and the public will benefit enormously,” he pointed out.
Eight residents from the area had come in person for the discussion, to highlight the issue. Manjunath told TNIE, “If you look at Bettahalasuru where a station has been proposed, it is an industrial area.
Instead, if they provide a station at Chikkajala, which has at least 50,000 residents and is a central point for many hoblis, thousands will benefit.”Satya, an urban mobility expert, called for the need to have a Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority soon so that multiple agencies involved in transport, work in tandem. An association representing developers, too, spelt out the need to have a single authority.
Indira Belde, Bsafe ambassador, requested BMRCL to provide Metro trains round-the-clock so that women working at night can reach home on a safe mode of transport. “Even if trains were provided once an hour or two hours during nights, it would help,” she said.
In her presentation on ‘Transit Oriented Development and Multi Modal Integration for Phase 2A and 2B’, DULT Commissioner V Manjula said the vehicles in the city will double by 2031. “Around any Metro, Suburban Rail or TTMC, the 6-6-6 concept needs to be followed. The transport hub should be reachable either by 6 minutes by walk, 6 minutes by cycle, or 6 minutes by bus,” she said. A street hierarchy needs to be created whereby priority would be given to pedestrians and cyclists,” she said. The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) must be higher in the TOD zones, identification of which is on.