Namma Metro Peak hours frequency may go up

Namma Metro Peak hours frequency may go up

BENGALURU: With most trains running to full capacity during peak hours, Namma Metro is now contemplating increasing the frequency of the trips.

Asked about the lack of breathing space in the trains, Pradeep Singh Kharola, Managing Director, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited, told City Express, “We are seized of the matter. Our officials are studying the traffic in trains.”

Trains are run every eight minutes during peak hours (8 am to 8 pm) and every 10 minutes during non-peak hours. “We can increase the frequency. Right now, we are watching the situation,” he said.

Kharola remained non-commital on when the frequency would be increased, though. “From eight minutes, we could make it five or four minutes,” he said.

The BMRCL office is flooded with various requests, including one for a separate compartment for women, Kharola said. “It is just a fortnight since the launch. We want to allow things to settle down first.”

Big Demolition

Meanwhile, work on acquiring properties for Phase II of Namma Metro is proceeding at a fast pace.

A total of 173 properties on the 11.5 km stretch, between Mahadevapura and Whitefield, have been acquired for the line, said a top official.

BMRCL has now acquired all properties required between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield.

“Compensation will be paid by June 15, We have already paid `200 crore to Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board to disburse the payments,” the official added.

Among the properties acquired is a seven-storeyed building belonging to Balaji Corporate Services, which the Metro will demolish next month. The previous tallest demolition undertaken by Metro was a four-storeyed building on Tumakuru Road.

The seven-storeyed building is located just before the proposed ITPL Metro station (near Prestige Shantiniketan).

With the track running through this building, it was absolutely important to acquire it, the official said.

“We wanted only 700 sq m of its 1,600, but since the building had already been constructed and half a building could not be handed over, the owner wanted us to acquire the entire property,” he added.

The building was completed just a year ago with only the ground floor and first floor being occupied by commercial establishments.

“We had notified the owner a couple of years ago, but he did not expect the Metro to actually come up and went ahead with the construction,” the official said.

The owner might have to be paid about `15 crore for the property, he added.

IPL matches increase ridership

•  So far, about 15 lakh commuters have travelled along the East-West Corridor between Mysuru Road and Baiyappanahalli.
• Daily occupancy now hovers around the 90,000 mark on a working day and around 1.2 lakh during weekends.
•  IPL matches and the recent 10K marathon have contributed to packed weekend trips.

Source:The New Indian Express