Thousands of pedestrians struggle to cross the road near Krishnarajapuram railway station every day in the absence of a foot over bridge. , Photo Credit: Suchit Kidiyur
Despite being an eagerly awaited project, the opening of the Namma Metro line between KR Puram and Whitefield has yet again proved that integration of various modes of transport is an afterthought for the authorities.
Near Krishnarajapuram railway station, in the absence of a foot-over-bridge (FOB) connecting the railway station and the newly opened KR Pura metro station, thousands of pedestrians are risking their lives to cross the busy road.
Police stationed at the junction below the cable bridge say 20,000 to 25,000 people cross the road daily.
This area is overcrowded now
“Krishnarajapuram railway station is one of the major railway stations. When a long distance train arrives, 350 to 1500 passengers get down at this point. Keeping in mind their safety, the traffic police and home guards help them cross the road in batches by stopping the traffic movement. Four to five constables, three home guards, one ASI and one SI rank police are deputed at the junction. in a big way.
Mahadeva R, a pedestrian said, “It is very risky to cross the road. Since the junction is located under the bridge, it is very difficult to judge the movement of vehicles due to poor visibility. At regular intervals, they stop traffic to allow pedestrians to cross the road, but it is a difficult task. increase in the number of pedestrians After the opening of the Whitefield Metro Line, After getting off at KR Pura station, many commuters cross the road to board buses headed towards Silk Board. The authorities should construct the FOB connecting the two stations at the earliest.”
Problem at other railway stations as well
This is not the first time that the authorities are “lowering the priority” for integration of various modes of transport or providing last or first-mile connectivity.
At Majestic, providing seamless connectivity between various modes of transport is yet to become a reality. Non-integration of metro and railway stations in Yeshwantpur is another example. Improvements to the road network are being planned after the opening of the Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminal at Baiyappanahalli, which was built at a cost of ₹320 crore.
Urban mobility expert Ashish Verma said, “Integration of various modes of transport and providing seamless connecting access to mass transit systems should be given priority while conceptualizing and designing the project. Providing easy access helps increase footfall and Also ensuring a more comfortable journey for pedestrians.I hope Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) will come out with a comprehensive plan for integration of various modes of transport and provide feeder services in the newly opened line.
A BMRCL official said, “An FOB will be built across the road for the convenience of pedestrians at KR Pura Metro station. Preliminary work is going on. There was some delay due to some land issues. Now everything has been fixed and work will resume. At Whitefield station, a decision on integration with the railway station will be taken after consulting the concerned authorities.”