Pic courtesy: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nostalgia2009/4833664924

Since a couple of years, I have been seeing how transport infrastructure in Bengaluru has been deteriorating. I thought of putting my GIS knowledge to some good use, to present potential opportunities to improve and provide alternatives to planning and infrastructure of the city. If you have specific datasets that you wish to share for Bangalore city, please do share it with me.

My prime focus now is on K R Puram Junction. My travel from home to Whitefield is exactly 15 minutes in car, but it now takes more than 2 hours due to traffic congestion.

K R Puram Junction

It took me a while to go around the area and identify congestion pain points at this junction. I have identified around 15 congestion pain points here, which add to the congestion at this point. The figure below (not to scale) presents illustration of congestion pain points identified.

Congestion Pain Points in K R Puram Junction
(Click to enlarge the graphic)

Here is the list of congestion pain points and solutions for each congestion pain point. If BBMP officials address this, our quality personal time shall be saved and of course the traffic police can also have a good time. Today each one of us spend around four hours of their personal time in traffic. 

Here are my insights about congestion pain points and alternative solutions to address this problem.

Congestion Pain Points for K R Puram Junction:

1. K R Puram bus stop next to temple: Existing bus stop next to temple adds to the congestion due to slow-moving traffic and disorganised bus parking by government (KSRTC) and private bus owners. This bus stop acts as a major junction for people going towards three different directions, which are K R Puram (Old Madras Road), Whitefield(ITPL) and SilkBoard Junction (Hosur).
   
   Solution: Remove the bus stop and create a Bus Terminus at Channasandra Junction next SAIL Warehouse area. Impose heavy penalty on buses stopping at K R Puram Junction. Alternatively, Byappanahalli bus terminus should be able to play a more prominent role. Create a Bus Terminus near to B Narayanpura for transit towards ITPL or Hosur Road.
2. K R Puram railway station bus station: Existing bus station at K R Puram railway station is a major problem which accounts for 20% of the time spent in the traffic.

   Solution: Shift the bus station on the north side or ask the railways to close the station and relocate the station to Byappanhalli, where you have a bus station and metro. It actually makes it convinient for all the passengers to get down at Byappanhalli.

3. Kasturi Nagar Railway Crossing towards Old Madras Road: Existing underpass near RMZ Infinity is causing major traffic congestion for people moving towards Ulsoor Road from Kasturi Nagar and Ramamurthy Nagar. 

   Solution: Extend the Kasturi Nagar underpass to 60 feet road and provide a box flyover for free flow of traffic towards ulsoor and towards K R Puram.

4. Bus stop next to TIN FACTORY and Salarpuria Magnifica Apartments: Existing Bus stop next to Tin Factory adds to congestion, as it is a major transit to four different routes – a) Whitefield, b) Hebbal c) Ulsoor d) K R Puram

   Solution:

   Remove the bus stop and use Byappanhalli bus terminus for this activity for major transit to all these four routes. Alternatively create a bus station next to Nagarjuna Apartments for transit to all these routes.
5. Whitefield Road: Existing roads from Whitefield to K R Puram junction are narrow and the junction is full of pot holes and uncontrolled traffic from K Narayanpura.

   Solution: Expansion of the existing roads from Whitefield to K R Puram junction and removal of pot holes next to Hyundai and Renault Showroom. Install an underpass for traffic movement directly towards B T M Junction from K R Puram (refer pain point 5).

6. 10 feet Railway pedestrian and two-wheeler underpass: Existing underpass from K R Puram side to Hyundai Showroom junction is narrow and very congested. The road leading to this 10 feet railway underpass is very narrow as well. 

   Solution:

   Expansion of the underpass to 80 feet railway underpass. the feeder road to the underpass should be 80 feet road. So that the traffic from K R Puram moving towards B T M Silk board can directly take this underpass rather than detouring through K R PURAM junction passing through pain points 3, 10, 1, 7, 6, 9. This is an unwanted traffic which can directly be routed through this underpass towards B T M Silk board.
7. Pedestrians waiting to catch bus at the junction of K R Puram Hanging Bridge: We see a lot of pedestrians waiting to catch bus at hanging bridge junction of K R Puram, it is very unsafe. 

   Solution: The traffic commissioner should levy heavy penalties on private taxies, bus and KSRTC buses that stop at this location for collecting passengers on their way to Hoskote, Chintamani, Nellore/ Chittoor. 

8. Creation of new bus station like the one created in Byappanhalli. For passengers travelling towards ORR/South Bangalore create a bus stand at Mahadevpura, where near to the main road, there is reclaimed land opposite to Nagarjuna Maple Heights. For travellers towards Whitefield/ Malur we can also use same bus station. Upgrade the K R Puram bus station for passengers commuting towards Hoskote, Chintamani, Nellore/ Chittoor. 
9. Levy heavy penalties on trucks parked on the pavements along this corridor. A penalty of Rs.5000/- will deter truck drivers. 

10. Relocate the existing parking and auto stand next to railway station towards the north side of the K R Puram Railway station or completely remove it.

11. Construct an underpass quickly like the one constructed along Hebbal-Mekhri circle route at Total Mall Opposite to Bagmane Tech Park, Mahadevapura. 

If we can strictly implement this, I can assure that our travel time would be saved at least by 50% which is due to traffic congestion.