Metro was supposed to make many lives easier.
Commuters are disappointed because the trial run of the Baiyappanahalli-to-Whitefield Metro line, set for September, has been postponed due to the recent floods in Bengaluru.
M Padmaraju, Public Information Officer of the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), said: “By September, the BMRCL hoped to begin the trial run. While we want to complete the Metro line by the deadline, safety standards cannot be compromised. We are hoping there won’t be a lot of rain in the upcoming days.”
Every day, people visiting or living in Whitefield find it difficult to travel places around the city. Roads adjacent to the Metro construction are damaged, heightening the commuters’ woes.
T. Raghu, an autorickshaw driver, said: “On Saturdays and Sundays, people flock around Whitefield main road. Congestion on the road near the Metro construction makes it difficult to drop off passengers at their destinations. Uber and Ola auto drivers find it extremely challenging, too.”
S. Yashwanth, a techie working in HSR Layout said: “Travelling from Whitefield to HSR Layout is hectic and expensive. If the Whitefield Metro line is connected to Baiyappanahalli, my commute to my workplace will become much easier and more affordable. During weekends, I cannot even go out with my colleagues because Whitefield is far away from the heart of Bangalore. Metro was supposed to make many lives, like mine, easier.”
People get off at Baiyappanahalli to visit malls around Whitefield.
S. Samuel, who was visiting Phoenix Marketcity Mall with his friends during a weekend, “The malls in Whitefield are great. We travel all the way from Deepanjali Nagar to have fun at these malls. As soon as I heard that the extension of Baiyappanahalli to Whitefield had started, I was thrilled. It costs us Rs 170 to travel from Baiyappanahali to Phoenix Marketcity Mall. If the Metro Rail (corporation) completes the remaining work, it will save a lot of money and time.”
U B Shanthkumar, a town planner with SR Associates, commented: “Corruption is always the reason for bad infrastructure and unfulfilled deadlines. From BBMP to contractors, it works the same way. This results in bad roads and years of construction which affects people living in Bengaluru.”
However, BMRCL Official Raj Gopalan said that the contractors determine whether the work is completed on schedule or not. The time lost because of the floods will be accommodated according to the deadline. “If everything goes well, people can start using this extended line from February 2023.”
Many people are still optimistic about the extension of the Metro and believe it will be completed within a year. They expect BMRCL to meet the scheduled deadline and not become a victim of delays once again.
yashaswini.s@iijnm.org
