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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Prasidh, Kuldeep limit South Africa to 270 after De Kock's hundred
Visakhapatnam (PTI): India fought back gallantly through Prasidh Krishna and Kuldeep Yadav after Quinton de Kock struck his 23rd hundred, keeping South Africa to a manageable 270 in the third and series-deciding final ODI, here Saturday.
India won the toss after judging the spin of the coin incorrectly 20 times in a row. They had little hesitation in inserting the Proteas into bat, a clear indication of dew factor dominating the thought.
After Arshdeep Singh sent back Ryan Rickelton early, De Kock (106, 89b, 8x4, 6x4) struck his seventh century against India and put on 113 runs off 124 balls with skipper Temba Bavuma (48, 67b) as the visitors moved to a healthy position.
De Kock was severe on Prasidh (4/66), who erred on length continuously in his first spell (2-0-27-0). The left-hander biffed the pacer for 6, 6, 4 in his second over to milk 18 runs.
The 32-year-old quickly pounced on anything that was short, and pacers Prasidh and Harshit offered him plenty of feed on his pet areas.
Bavuma was more sedate, and made runs through those typical dabs and jabs, occasionally unfurling a drive of elan.
De Kock moved to fifty in 42 balls, and never let the tempo down reaching his hundred in 79 balls.
India found temporary relief when Ravindra Jadeja induced a false slash from Bavuma to get caught by Virat Kohli at point.
The tourists got another move on through a 54-run partnership between De Kock and Matthew Breetzkle for the third wicket, and at 168 for two in 28 overs they were in a good position to press on.
But Breetzke's punishment of part-time spinner Tilak Varma forced a rethink in the Indian camp, as skipper KL Rahul brought back Prasidh for a second spell.
What a masterstroke it turned out to be! The Karnataka man broke the back of South Africa’s top and middle order in an exceptional second spell (4-0-11-3).
Breetzke was the first man to go, trapped plumb in front with a straight one and four balls later Aiden Markram uppishly chipped a fuller delivery to Kohli at short covers.
Prasidh soon castled De Kock, whose ugly cross-batted swipe failed to connect a full length delivery from the pacer.
All of a sudden, SA found themselves at a shaky 199 for five, losing three wickets in the space of three overs.
Once Prasidh was done away with the top and middle-order, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep (4/41) took over and mopped up the tail as SA fell short of even a par total on this track.
