The Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP) received a much-needed boost in the State Budget with an allocation of ₹1,000 crore, which is likely to help the KRIDE (Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited) to expedite the project going on at a snail’s pace.
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In October 2020, the Union government approved the project to build four suburban corridors in the city. The Prime Minister laid the foundation last June and assured that the project would be a reality in 40 months.
In phase I, the KRIDE is implementing the Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara line. The contractor has started implementing the project after receiving a work order worth ₹860 crore. In his Budget speech, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the line would be completed by 2024-25. The agency has floated a tender to take up Heelalige to Rajanakunte line.
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Rail activist Sanjeev Dyammanavar said, “It is a good move. The Central government too made an allocation of ₹1,350 crore in its Budget. For an early implementation of the project, KRIDE needs a full-time MD. In the past, the KRIDE faced problems with getting railway land. The State government is responsible for getting private land required for the project. On priority, authorities should address these issues and facilitate early execution of the project.”
The Namma Metro project also found a mention. The CM said once the Union government approves two corridors under Phase III, the project would be taken up. The total length of the proposed metro lines is 44 km with 31 stations. The CM said that 40 km of metro under Phase II would become operational this year.
RTCs get ₹500 crore
The government has provided ₹500 crore for the procurement of buses by road transport corporations (RTCs) in the next financial year. This will help the four corporations to procure 1,200 buses. The Budget states, “It is for the first time that the government is giving such a big support for adding buses to the corporations.” Mr. Bommai said in the current financial year, action had been taken to induct 3,526 buses.
Bus commuters called the Budget a mixed bag. ”We welcome the ‘Makkala Bus Scheme’ through which additional schedules will be operated across the State to benefit students. We are glad that the government recognises that access to education was suffering due to lack of public transport across Karnataka. The free bus scheme for women is a step in the right direction. However, if this is for the whole of Karnataka, the allocation is insufficient. Secondly, the unorganised sector women workers are the more vulnerable, therefore it is puzzling why the unorganised women workers are left out from the scheme,” said Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike in a statement.
It added that the allocation provided to RTCs was not sufficient and the Chief Minister should have announced plans for recruiting bus crew to end shortage of staff that is crippling bus services.