Grey skies threaten heavy rain, traffic starts to build as more people take to their four-wheelers in anticipation, and the clock inches past 4.15 p.m. Four of us gather at the office parking lot with one destination in mind, the Bengaluru City Railway Station. The objective: go up against the newly-inaugurated stretch of the Namma Metro in alternate modes of transportation and see how we fare. Competing against the Metro and representing cars is the easy-to-manoeuvre Chevrolet Beat hatchback. Representing two wheelers is a Royal Enfield Classic 500, and fighting for public transport, that existed before the new kid on the block, is the tried-and-tested BMTC bus.
It is a 200-metre walk to the Cubbon Park Metro Station, 150 metres to the Balekundri Circle Bus Stop, and the vehicles await right in front of us. As the clock hits 4.18 p.m., the race is go.
The Namma Metro - SRAVASTI DATTA
It is 4.18 p.m. Peak traffic hour is about to hit. Ever since the Purple Line has become fully functional, Bengalureans have begun travelling longer distances.
So I decide to make my way to where I would ordinarily not venture. My departure point is Infantry Road. My destination: City Railway Station. Tick tock…
It takes seven minutes to walk to Cubbon Park metro station. Buying tickets take another one minute, as it includes waiting in queue and looking for change of six rupees (the ticket costs Rs. 16 to City Railway Station). Tick tock.
I wait on the platform for eight minutes, with a mechanical voice repeating that the train to Mysuru Road will enter the station shortly. I board the train, which to some people’s surprise, is packed. Even though we have to stand, it doesn’t feel uncomfortable, unlike standing in a bus stuck in a traffic jam.
I pass Dr. B.R. Ambedkar/Vidhana Soudha, Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Kempegowda Stations. A large crowd de-board at these stations and I finally get to sit. And then comes City Railway Station. Tick tock. I alight at the City Railway Station and observe that people are sensibly travelling light, with minimum luggage. Make sure you ask the attendant where the right exit is. You don't feel the stress of a journey.
Time taken: 20 minutes
Cost: Rs. 16
Result: First Place
Car - ALLAN MOSES RODRICKS
I hop into my Chevrolet Beat, lock my seatbelt firmly and start my engine. Idling it, I wait for my colleagues to head in their respective directions before I release the clutch and step on the gas. I whiz past my biker colleague, who in his excitement runs past where he parked his bike and returns to it sheepishly, and my colleague on foot running to the bus stop. I stick my tongue out to both of them and wave past.
However, my thoughts immediately shift to my third colleague who has probably already hopped onto the metro at the Cubbon Park Station. It’s a race! And I hope to win it. I step harder on the accelerator and veer through traffic manically and cut a left at the GPO on Dr. Ambedkar Road.
As I pass the magnificent Vidhana Soudha, now in full view after several years of eyesore scaffolding and construction work, I can sense my colleague speeding past in the underground tunnel and I try to drive faster. But as luck will have it, what is good old Bengaluru without its traffic? And so I found myself moving back to second gear and inching forward the rest of the journey, past two 120-second signals. My heart beats faster as I hope and pray that my biker friend doesn’t whiz past me. Confident that my bus friend wouldn’t have reached yet, I drive leisurely the last few metres.
Reaching the station, I heave a sigh of relief as I can’t find any of my road-bound colleagues, while of course my Metro colleague has already reached and turned back to office. I quickly park, pick the tab of Rs. 20 and wait in front of the main entrance for my colleagues so we can take a selfie.
Time taken: 24 minutes
Approximate diesel cost: Rs. 11
Result: Second Place
Motorcycle - SOORAJ RAJMOHAN
I fire up the motorcycle and head off, gleefully waving at my colleague dashing to catch a bus. Being the only participant mostly exposed to the elements for the entire journey, I hope the skies hold a little longer. My confidence in the motorcycle having the advantage, is only dulled by my relative unfamiliarity of Bengaluru's many roads and one ways.
As luck would have it, being in the wrong lane at Cubbon Park signal with a BMTC bus bearing down from behind sees me go down Queens Road further and getting stuck at the signal before doing some quick course correction to get back to Dr. Ambedkar Road. Cursing lost time, and finding traffic in front of Vidhana Soudha comparatively less, I open up the throttle and make use of the open expanse to make quick time. Standing on the footpegs to maintain velocity over small bumps gets me a bemused look from the driver of a parked autorickshaw.
The small size of the vehicle helps me ease through KR Circle and past the State Bank of Mysore crossing without much delay, keeping with the flow of traffic until joining the mass of vehicles waiting to turn towards the station from Tank Bund Road. Despite being a distance from the signal when it turns green, I find a clear path in the chaos and guide the motorcycle through it, reaching the entrance to the Station without further hassle. A quick check reveals I was only a few minutes behind the car, thanks to one costly wrong turn.
Time taken: 27 minutes
Approximate petrol cost: Rs. 9
Result: Third Place
Bus - NIKHIL VARMA
At 4.18 pm, I break into a jog just outside the Express signal, and sprint across traffic lanes, all in an attempt to catch a bus to the city railway station, even as I watch my colleagues disappear into the metro lines at Cubbon park and whiz past me on a bike and car in the race to the railway station.
I felt like a character on the amazing race as I clambered on to a crowded 302(A) bus to majestic and find a seat, sandwiched between two pieces of luggage and a harried young man, worried that he would miss his train home.
The conducter hands me over a 12 rupee ticket and informs me that to reach the station, I will have to take the subway, after getting down at the Majestic bus stand.
As the traffic comes to a crawl outside the vast expanse of the Vidhana Soudha, I chance upon the entrance of the metro station and envy my collegue, riding in air conditioned comfort, beneath the ground, while I stay stuck at a traffic signal.
The bus starts to catch up speed and my co-passenger starts to look a little hopeful. "I just hope the State Bank of Mysore crossing does not have heavy traffic. That is a constant bottleneck," he says.
At the SBM crossing, despite the antics of a auto driver who moves his vehicle into the wrong lane and gets into an argument with the bus driver, the bus moves on.
Four minutes on, as the clock reaches 4.45, we whiz past the Gandhibazaar crossing and reach the Majestic Bus Stand. Much like one of the participants of the amazing race, I sprint away towards the railway station, criss-crossing citizen overbridges and smelly subways to finally make it to KSR Bengaluru.
Time taken: 35 minutes
Cost: Rs. 12
Result: Fourth Place
