If the Comprehensive Bengaluru City Traffic Management Infrastructure Plan (CBCTMIP) for the tunnel road were to be implemented, then get ready to spend a toll fee of Rs 288 to travel just 18 km from Hebbal to Silk Board junction. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Friday published the final feasibility report on CBCTMIP, prepared by Altinok Consulting Engineering. In fact, the proposed toll fee is much higher than the toll charges for the 118 km-long 10-lane access-controlled Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway – where cars, vans, and jeeps have to pay Rs 170 for a single trip and Rs 255 for a round trip.
As part of the report, an 18 km North-South tunnel road corridor has been proposed as a solution to decongest Bengaluru traffic. The study presents different peak hour trips by mode in three policy scenarios to evaluate the impact of the proposed North-South corridor. The three scenarios identified in the report are: Scenario 1 consisting of the largest share of cars; Scenario 3 consisting of the largest share of public transport and Scenario 2 consisting of the intermediate scenario having a reasonable modal share of both cars and public transport.
Further, after evaluating all these scenarios by considering toll and without toll conditions, the study reveals that ‘without toll condition’, the tunnel corridor would reach increased congestion level in two sections and lead to deterioration in ‘Level of Service’ by 2031. Although Scenario 3 shows the highest public transport trips, the report simply states that toll collection coupled with an intermediate scenario (Scenario 2) is a reasonable solution. The report also recommends the average toll price for cars to be Rs 16/km (for 18 km it equals Rs 288).
“The total mode-wise estimated trips for horizon year 2031 and 2041 for all the three scenarios where Scenario 1 consist of largest share of cars and Scenario 3 consist of largest share of public transport due to which Scenario 1 has the highest number of car trips and Scenario 3 has the lowest number of car trips. Both Scenario 1 and 3 are referred from CMP (Comprehensive Mobility Plan), 2020. Scenario 2 is considered as the intermediate scenario having a reasonable modal share,” the report states.
“For with toll scenario, the average toll price considered for Car is Rs 16/km. Considering this, for horizon year 2031 and 2041 all the three scenarios were evaluated to understand the impact of the application of toll in the proposed North-South Corridor. However, Scenario 2 is considered as the reasonable scenario and it is considered for further evaluations. Further, all these three scenarios are evaluated considering toll and without toll conditions. In without toll condition, the Level of Service is compromised in year 2031 only for section 2 and 3 therefore it was not a viable option to be considered,” the report adds.
Without a toll, the study reveals that the tunnel will see around 83,000 cars by 2031 and 97,000 cars by 2041 during peak hours. However, with the toll, the total passenger car units (PCU) for 2031 is projected to be 20,325 and it will further increase to 26,643 in 2041.
As per the feasibility report, the North-South Corridor starting from Hebbal Esteem Mall Junction to Silk Board KSRP Junction is going to be developed as an underground vehicular tunnel having three intermediate locations connected via ramps for entry and exit into the main tunnel. This alignment will connect the Hebbal and Silk Board Junction and proposed three intermediate ramps at Mekri Circle, Racecourse, and Lalbagh directly, therefore, reducing travel time from about 90 minutes to 20 minutes. The total cost of the tunnel road is estimated at around Rs 15,000 crore. In fact, the North-South tunnel corridor plan is being considered when there is already a plan for a 58 km metro line connecting Silk Board to Kempegowda International Airport via Hebbal.
Further, the report also highlights the proposal of a double-decker tunnel – with three lanes at the lower deck and two lanes at the upper deck – connecting KR Puram and Nayandahalli. The total length of the east-west corridor of the project is 28 km. The two-deck system consists of the upper deck connecting KR Puram to Nayandahalli Circle and the lower deck connecting Nayandahalli Circle to KR Puram.
The tunnel road plan – an ambitious project of Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar – has drawn severe criticism from civic groups and many mobility activists. A recent IISc study by Prof Ashish Verma, “Scenario Evaluation for the Proposed Suburban Rail Network and Metro Rail Network for the Bangalore Metropolitan Region (BMR)”, shows that the introduction of tunnel roads and elevated corridors could significantly impact public transport system and encourage people to shift from public to private modes of transport.
Satya Arikutharam, an urban mobility expert, said, “It is an irony that while the city is rightly protesting the unfair toll charges to the airport, BBMP is proposing a needless Tolled Tunnel Road for intra-city travel. The report clearly ignores the public transport focus that cities all over the world are naturally adopting to meet climate change goals. A metro fare from Hebbal to Silk Board would roughly cost you Rs 50-60. The government should come to its senses, drop the tunnel road project, and fully focus on expediting the metro and suburban rail projects.”
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