Phase-3 double decker corridor will not ease traffic in Bengaluru: Report
Bengaluru: Despite ongoing efforts by city administrators to tackle traffic congestion, including the ambitious 37-km double-decker (flyover-cum-Metro) corridor along the Phase-3 of Namma Metro, a Feasibility-cum-Detailed Project Report (DPR) suggests that the project may not reduce traffic as expected.
According to the executive summary of the report, which was cited by The New Indian Express on Monday, traffic flow analyses at key junctions between Kadabagere and Hosahalli, as well as along the JP Nagar to Hebbal corridor, show that even with the proposed elevated corridor, traffic at ground level is unlikely to decrease significantly. This indicates that the tolled elevated road may fail to alleviate surface road congestion.
A survey conducted as part of the DPR, involving 1,000 respondents, revealed that 78% of commuters experience peak-hour congestion between 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., and 48% report heavy traffic between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. However, a whopping 91% of those surveyed said they would be unwilling to pay tolls for improved road infrastructure.
The report's executive summary also highlighted that traffic projections for the Kadabagere to Hosahalli corridor show only marginal relief from the proposed elevated road. By 2031, traffic between Kadabagere and Magadi Road would decrease from 1,837 to 1,369 Passenger Car Units (PCUs), and by 2041, it would further drop to 1,640 PCUs, the report stated. Similar modest reductions were noted across other junctions of the corridor.
In the JP Nagar to Hebbal corridor, traffic flow between five major junctions showed similarly small improvements. For instance, the PCUs between JP Nagar and Sarakki Junction would drop from 2,895 to 2,701 in 2031, and to 3,222 PCUs by 2041. The reductions across other junctions were similarly marginal.
Commenting on the minimal impact of the double-decker flyover on ground-level traffic, independent mobility expert Satya Arikutharam said that there is no transport justification for building the double-decker structure along the entire Phase-3 alignment. “A tolled facility doesn’t remove any significant surface road congestion. And if it is free, it impacts Metro viability,” TNIE quoted Arikutharam as saying.
He added that integrated structures work best in short sections, such as at Goraguntepalya Junction, where they can improve network efficiency.
Traffic expert Prof Sreehari M.N. also weighed in, stating that flyovers are not the solution to traffic woes. “Anywhere in the world, flyovers have failed to solve congestion. They quickly become uneconomical,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
He noted that the actual reduction in ground-level traffic is minimal, particularly in a city like Bengaluru, where traffic pressure is highly uneven, with peak and off-peak hours showing different patterns.
“During peak hours, the priority should be to increase the carrying capacity of public transport, not build more flyovers,” he further added.
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Former India hockey coach Michael Nobbs dies
Melbourne (PTI): Former Australian hockey player Michael Nobbs, who coached the Indian men's team at the 2012 London Olympics, has died after a prolonged illness.
He was 72 years old and is survived by his wife Lee Capes, a former Australian women's international and daughter Kaitlin, who is a current Hockeyroos star.
"Hockey Australia extends its deepest condolences to Michael’s family, friends, former teammates, players and all those whose lives and careers were shaped by his contribution to hockey. He will be remembered as a proud Kookaburra, a respected professional, and a servant of the sport," Hockey Australia said in a statement.
Nobbs represented Australia as a defender, playing across the half-back line and at fullback, and was renowned for his reliability, fitness and professionalism. He earned 76 international caps for Australia between 1979 and 1985, scoring one goal, and was a member of one of the strongest eras in Australian men’s hockey, said Hockey Australia on its website in its tribute.
Nobbs was an integral part of the Australian teams that competed at the 1981 Hockey World Cup in Bombay and the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
While part of a generation widely regarded as one of Australia’s finest, he consistently held his place through hard work, discipline and trust earned from teammates and coaches, Hockey Australia wrote.
Nobbs took over the coaching of the Indian men's team in 2011 after it had failed to qualify for the Beijing Games in 2008. While India were brilliant in the qualifiers, the team finished last at the London extravaganza which also expedited the Australian coach's sacking.
Apart from India, Nobbs also coached Japan.
