Scraps old plan to integrate transport systems

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has scrapped its ambitious project to build a 45-storey inter-modal transit hub at a cost of Rs. 1,300 crore — as per estimations made in 2011 — at Majestic. Instead, it has floated a fresh tender to appoint a consultancy to come up with new plans for a transport hub that will integrate the metro, BMTC bus stand and city railway station. The corporation intends to develop the proposed hub on 20.20 acres of available land.

“The KSRTC is giving is giving a fresh look on creating an integrated transport hub at Majestic . The consultancy will come with plans on integrating various transport hubs in the area and commercially exploiting the available space,” said a KSRTC official. He added that in addition to parking lots for commuters, bus bays and terminals will be built for other State-run corporations.

The tender document for selection of a consultancy states, “The objective of the project is to develop a facility for KSRTC that is not only well integrated but also world class in terms of passenger amenities, navigation and ease of transfers at all levels and between all the modes of transport. The facility is meant to cater to the mobility needs of the transit hub for the coming 25 to 30 years.”

“KSRTC had provided 7.5 acres to BMRCL for the underground interchange station. In addition, we had provided 10.20 acres to carry out construction works for the station. BMRCL has returned the land in a phased manner and a small pocket of land is pending,” said the official.

The tender was floated after BMRCL returned a major chunk of the land.

Surveys will be conducted among commuters at all important exits of the railway station, and all the terminals of the KSRTC, the BMTC bus stand, metro stations and users of existing subways. Traffic volume on surrounding roads and junctions will also be taken into consideration.

The KSRTC operates 2,900 schedules of buses from Majestic, which include premier services. In 2011, it had floated a tender for the initial project and seven companies had participated in the tender process. However, the project remained in cold storage.

Majestic transport hub is poorly integrated. The only major link between the BMTC bus stand and railway station is a subway, which also links KSRTC to the railway station. There is no direct access between the BMTC bus stand and the metro station.

Recently, the BMRCL had opened a walkway which connects KSRTC bus stand and the existing subway.