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When construction of the Metro project in Bengaluru commenced in June 2006, it was thought that the city would be able to deal with increasing congestion and provide a convenient alternative mode of transport for people. But works for Phase 1 itself started a good three years after the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had submitted the Detailed Project Report.

As completion of Phase 1 gets delayed, there has been an explosion in the number of vehicles in the city, to around 50 lakh, bringing congestion to a peak. What is evident is that the Metro will not be able to single-handedly shift the majority of commuters off the roads.

Sanjeev Dyamannavar from the advocacy group Praja, which has been fighting fiercely for starting a Commuter Rail System (CRS), argues that a city should have all forms of transport — motorised and non-motorised — to have any serious impact on lessening the congestion on the roads.

There are different kinds of demands of people travelling every day. So, we are not merely looking at Metro as an alternative, but also services like commuter rail, proper pavements, foot overbridges, taxi bays and metered taxis. The government is investing so heavily on Metro and the cost overruns are scary enough on Phase-1. Phase 2 is going to be even more expensive,” he says.

While agreeing that Railways is working on outdated infrastructure, Sanjeev says modernising is also very important to introduce new services. “Take Byappanahalli for instance. The proposal to turn it into a world class station came in 2007, but even to this day, except for the Railways spending `15 crore and creating some infrastructure, nothing has happened. The state government, in all these years, has given it a mere `1 lakh. But spending on railways is a less expensive proposition than the Metro. “Byappanahalli will require two years and `105 crore to turn into a world class station, but under Phase 2 of Metro, each station will cost at least `300 crore,” Sanjeev contends.

Urban transportation expert Lokesh Hebbani says international agencies like Japan International Cooperation Agency have shown an interest in funding the suburban rail project. “The state government needs to pursue this and put pressure on the Central government. Otherwise, there is no way for it go forward.

With 3,000 new vehicles being registered every day, there is only so much you can do to avoid congestion. The government has to consider public transportation, which takes people off the roads. You cannot keep widening roads,” says Hebbani.

With connectivity to surrounding areas like Tumakuru, Kolar and Ramanagaram, it would encourage people to ditch their cars, he adds. “If stations can provide pay-and-park facilities, then people would readily shift to trains rather than bring their personal vehicles into the city,” he said.

Krishnaprasad, a retired Central government employee who is now involved in gathering consensus for the commuter rail project, says while both modes of transport are essential, there are certain advantages to commuter rail. “It is cheaper to execute and also inexpensive to the commuter as well. The kind of expenditure, expertise, technology required for Metro is not necessary for establishing a suburban train network,” he says.

Do Away With RITES, Say Officials

Supporters of CRS and Railway officials agree on one thing. That the state government should consider looking elsewhere if they want a proper study on feasibility of CRS.

A senior railway official said, “RITES is filled with retired railway officials aged around 70 who will not go to the field. The government can ask another agency to study the feasibility.”

In their reply to DULT on the RITES report, the Railways say that vital elements have not been brought out by RITES and a realistic assessment of multiple problems of land acquisition and demolition of built up area has not been presented.

“Similarly, critical analysis of dislocation of the existing services has not been presented,” it stated. They recommend that RITES should be impressed upon to prepare an in depth analysis supplementing in a cohesive manner on all aspects. The report further states, “At the same time, they may also explore possibility of adopting alternative economic cost effective solutions to bring down the cost of certain large scale investments so that viability of the project becomes better.”

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/Can-Commuter-Rail-Take-Pressure-off-Roads/2016/01/25/article3243470.ece

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If letters shot off by the ministers and elected representatives to the Centre seeking assistance for setting up of a commuter rail system could qualify as progress, then yes, there has been a bit of it. But beyond this, there is very little to show in terms of actual proposal or planning, despite everyone agreeing that suburban trains need to be an essential part of the city’s transport system.

Letters have been written at regular intervals to the Centre, including one written last year by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu. The CM had asked the minister to consider the proposal for commuter rail on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis and also said that they have set up Bangalore Suburban Rail Company Limited to enable the implementation of the project. But on the ground, there is little progress.

Speaking to Railway officials and the Directorate of Urban Land Transport, one thing that is evident is a lack of coordination on the way ahead.

In September 2015, the Railways replied to a feasibility report from engineering consultancy company RITES about running commuter trains from the city centre to Whitefield, Tumakuru, Hosur, Hindupur, Ramanagaram and Chikkaballapur.

“The report had a lot of technical flaws. One has to visit the sites, check the existing infrastructure and see if there is a possibility of running the trains on the existing infrastructure, and whether it can be augmented. None of this was done. It was report was prepared in the offices and was not practical at all. People think we are responsible for the delay, but RITES should be informing the state government correctly on what can be done and what cannot. They are keeping the state government in the dark and we are being blamed for it,” said Divisional Railway Manager of SWR, Bengaluru, Sanjiv Agarwal.

The railway infrastructure in the city is in dire need of modernisation and expansion. The planned development of Byappanahalli station into a world class station never materialised. The running of intercity trains on time and increasing their frequency is a daily headache. “How are we going to run suburban trains in this situation? Unless we decongest our platforms and shift some of our trains, this is just not possible. Even if we are expanding, there is the question of land acquisition, which takes forever. All these things are to be considered,” Agarwal said.

Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) Commissioner V Manjula whose department was responsible for commissioning the study by RITES, said a new report has been prepared as per which they can run some lines, and needs very little land acquisition.

“We will be sending the report to the Railways soon. There is a small amount of land acquisition, but otherwise it will use existing lines. It is definitely possible,” Manjula argued. The one thing that Manjula agrees with the Railways is on the delay that results from land acquisition, but says that the revised RITES draft points out to lines which can be run with minimal changes.

On one hand, proponents of commuter rail allege that DULT is not serious about pursuing the project and that the RITES report was hogwash meant to delay progress. On the other, Railway officials seem reluctant to shift focus to suburban trains due to their own constraints. “Where is the revenue in it?” asked a senior railways official.

“We have enough problems trying to stick to our schedules with intercity trains. Suburban trains will not give us the kind of revenue we need. Will we be allowed to charge ticket rates like Metro does? We have to face a dharna and a rail roko even with minor increases in ticket prices. Why should we run on lines that are bound to make losses for us?” the official said.

In the last couple of years, however, halt stations have been built at Krishnadevaraya at RPC Layout and Hoodi and MEMU maintenance station at Banaswadi has been constructed purely for use of suburban rail.

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ananth Kumar, a believer in commuter rail, is firm it will get a mention this Railway budget. “I have met Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu and explained the necessity of a commuter rail system and I am hopeful it will be included this year,” he said. Ananth Kumar believes that if the four radials of Bengaluru City to Kengeri, Yeshwantpur, K R Puram and Yelahanka are equipped with double line, electrification and automatic signaling, then Phase 1 of will be ready.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/Letters-Reports-Aplenty-But-No-Work-on-the-Ground-Yet/2016/01/25/article3243701.ece

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Just finished reading the report (139 Pages). Really felt good after going through the report specially its recommendations for a full fledged CRS without any short cuts.

It is a detailed report with lots of information, for sake of readability, let me post my comments in parts. I will start with my overall first reactions:

1. It brings out a fact that in none of the GOks plans/study, commuter rail for mass transit was even considered.
2. Even the Wilbur Smith's study which advocated 70 K crores of investment in urban transportation doesn't even mentions commuter rail once.
3. Till now only road based PT systems are looked up to for mass transit systems until METRO came along.
4. This report Clearly advocates and pitches for Bengaluru CRS.
5. Recognizes the CRS potential and its capacity to meet city's 50% of commute needs.
6. Also support with data and numbers to justify the lower investment cost of CRS compare to METRO.
7. Metro costs 12 K Crores for 43 Kms Length with 1million carrying capacity /Day.
8. Whereas CRS can achieve 405 Kms length with 2.5 Million carrying capacity in less than 8K crores.
9. CRS to take the burden of 50% of B'lore commuter population
10. It repeats in many sections how CRS positions differently in mass transit system in B'lore and the same can't be met by METRO/BMTC/KSRTC/Monorail/HSRL.
11. Reconfirms PRAJA's belief in dispersing growth to towns and mitigating congestion in the city.
12. Reaffirms PRAJA's advocacy for formation of SPV called Bengaluru Commuter Rail Corporation (BCRC).
13. Does recommends Phases - 1A, 1B, 2 and 3.

After reading the report I can only say that it is a Ver 2.0 of  "Call to Action Report for Bengaluru CRS" with additional information, data and financial implications.

As Sanjay, IDS has alluded, it is silent on many aspects but that doesn't diminishes the value and importance of this report. This is the first report and first time has dealt the Commuter Rail as the mass transit system in Bengaluru. Hope the Namma Rail train conitinues its journey past DULT stations. :)

MMTS Hyderabad's feasability report and DPR was only 30-40 pages. Even the details in that report can hardly be considered as detailed project data. Compare to that PRAJA report looked like a DPR. This is more detailed and lengthier compare to MMTS report.

Here are my questions to RITES/DULT:

1. Is this a feasibility report or DPR? If this is a feasibility report, reasons  thereof?
2. Why did DULT go for feasibility Report instead of DPR as given to understand and even reported in media?
3. What is RITES 2011 report? Where can public access it?
4. There are no details given on replacing level crossings with ROB/RUBs - Locations, Total number, Cost of Building etc.
5. No explicit suggestion/recommendation for specific CRS segments to be taken up in Phase 1a, 1B, and 2.
6. KSRTC and Business/Industry chambers representatives should also be stake holders in BCRC SPV.
7. What is the rational for leaving fare to be decided by IR and Surcharge for BCRC?
8. The recommendation on 'Surcharge' doesn't make any sense. The total accrual due to surcharge for 33 yrs will yield only 3000 crores.

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Can we leave this thread for feedback only so I can send the link to DULT end of this week. please frame comment in the form of questions so it can be answered or as a comment for correction or point to be considered etc

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