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Will Metro be enough to ease traffic?

Updated on: 26 October,2010 08:51 AM IST |
Nicholas Stone |

Experts sceptical about the project's efficacy in reducing congestion have drawn up a list of issues that the BMTC needs to address

Experts sceptical about the project's efficacy in reducing congestion have drawn up a list of issues that the BMTC needs to address

The Metro rail may be gearing up for a test run, but experts have raised doubts over whether it will be able to ease traffic congestion in the city.

The experts, who were part of the conference on infrastructure, sustainable transportation and urban planning held at Indian Institute of Science recently, pointed out some apprehensions about the project.

TG Sitharam, who was chairing the conference, said, "The BMTC is doing reasonably well, but we still need to look at other models. We have been looking at what can be done and how it can be done."

Sitharam and his team highlight the difficulties some commuters may face in reaching the stations, and the failure to adequately service the East-West corridor and utilise Bangalore's surrounding towns.

"Bangalore has a bright future, but you need to give people the option to commute into, rather than forcing them out of the city," he said. Sitharam believes that the plan needs to be rethought to address these issues.u00a0u00a0

"Neither is widening of roads a solution, nor cutting down trees. We need to keep looking for alternate modes of transport, be it rail-based or road-based even after Metro comes in," he added.

Another issue the experts have asked the BMTC to consider is appropriate pricing so that most people are able to afford the service.

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