Now a study has stated due to traffic and other related issues, Bengaluru city has lost close to ₹20,000 crore per year, NDTV has reported. This study was conducted by MN Sreehari, a traffic expert and his team. They look over issues in the city related to road planning, flyover, traffic management and infrastructural deficit.
The study found that Bengaluru lost ₹19,725 crore despite having 60 completely functional flyovers due to delays, traffic, signal delays, interference of slow-moving vehicles with fast-moving, fuel loss and other related factors.
The study showed estimates which stated that the city expanded from 88 square kilometres to 985 square kilometres in 2023, however, the study has proposed it expansion to 1,100 square kilometres.
The study said as reported by NDTV that the city has a huge population of 14.5 million due to the increase of employment in IT sector which has also led to infrastructure development for the people. Moreover, the study added that city also has a vehicle population of nearly 1.5 crore. The report also added that the road length growth which is 11,000 km is not in proportion with the area and vehicular growth.
“The exponential growth of population and their job potential speed could not match with the infrastructural growth that is existing. The gap deficiency has resulted in delays, congestion, higher travel time, and huge economic loss (intangible) in terms of direct and indirect cost,” Sreehari and his team said as quoted by NDTV.
Suggestions by expert on traffic woes:
The experts as reported by NDTV have suggested radial roads, ring roads, underground transportation for metros, government buses. Apart from this, the experts have also suggested more underground-based road systems to cater the road traffic for next 25 years.
Moreover, experts have also suggested to remove roadside parking. “As a transportation expert, I have failed to show even one road in Bengaluru without parking,” Mr Sreehari said as quoted by NDTV. It also recommended an increase in mass transportation of metro, monorail, high-capacity buses.
Meanwhile, on 2 August, Shivakumar, in-charge of the Bengaluru Urban Development and Water Resources Ministries, discussed the traffic congestion issue with Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Sharing the outcome of the meeting with reporters, Shivakumar said he discussed with the Union Minister ways to ease traffic in Bengaluru and also asked how the central government can support this issue. “In a positive way, he (Gadkari) gave certain suggestions. He has asked us to prepare a DPR,” he said as reported by PTI.
He further added that the state government has already invited Expression of Interest (EoI) with a proposal for construction of either a tunnel or flyover or any other means through which the traffic can be eased. “After receiving the proposals, we will talk to the central government, which is ready to support,” he added.
Around 10 companies, including one from Israel, have made presentations and they have been asked to participate in the bids, he added as reported by PTI.
“The last date for submission of the EoI is August 8. Let all of them participate with international design and concept. We have decided to take this forward so that Bengaluru traffic congestion is eased,” he added.
Prior to this, in July, the Deputy Chief Minister had also chaired a meeting with the BMRDA officials and committee members to find a solution for Bengaluru’s traffic issues. They had decided to connect the ends of Bengaluru with underpasses. According to media reports, the officials had planned to allocate ₹22,000 crore for the initial phase of the 50 km tunnel construction project.
The Bengaluru city was ranked second in the slowest place to drive through in the world in 2022, according to the report by a specialist in geolocation technologies, TomTom. The report also found that Bengaluru’s rush hour traffic led to the loss of as much as 129 hours last year. Even after the rising popularity of WFH option post pandemic, there has been a rising trend in the number of hours lost in traffic jam.
(With inputs from NDTV, PTI)
Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Updated: 08 Aug 2023, 10:45 AM IST