Another proposal by the Infrastructure Development Department (IDD) to develop a multimodal transport hub in Yelahanka also seems to have been shelved for the moment.
The report, prepared in 2010, suggested the development of a hub, which would include a high-speed rail link to the airport, an integrated bus terminal, a mini repair shop , a Metro station, and auto and taxi facilities, as well as commercial development to be rented out.
According to the report, the proposed hub would have been spread across 24 acres near Kogilu Cross and would have been close (within 1 km) to Yelahanka railway station.
It would have had facilities like intercity and intra city bus bays, ticketing counters, coffee shops as well as banking and financial institutions. In 2010, when the report was prepared, 484 buses were scheduled in the region.
However, according to officials, this project too is gathering dust because of land acquisition issues. The report mentions that a certain portion of the land may be part of a forest as per the City Development Master Plan (2007-2015).
Investment
Another problem was of investment. In 2010, the total cost was estimated at Rs. 275 crore. “Much has changed since then. The high-speed rail link project is in limbo and there has been no further discussion on the hub. The IDD would be the correct agency to answer questions on the status of the project,” a BMTC official said.
Officials in the IDD, which planned on developing the hub on a public-private partnership (PPP) model, could not be reached for their comments.
