TOD and green initiatives to boost public transportation

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: On Monday, the Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited, known as K-Ride, unveiled the MultiModal Integration (MMI) and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) plans for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).

To boost public transport usage in Bengaluru, K-Ride aims to integrate stations and collaborate with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (Namma Metro), the Directorate of Urban Land Transport, and other stakeholders.

The MMI initiatives include the innovative elimination of level crossings in congested city areas, which involves lifting Indian Railway tracks without altering the existing road level, avoiding land acquisition, and mitigating water stagnation issues—an unprecedented move in the country.

The BSRP also proposes a shared alignment between Suburban Rail and Namma Metro at Benniganahalli, preventing costly property acquisition in a high-end residential zone.

Additionally, the Rail Over Rail concept at Yelahanka combines corridors, saving substantial land, avoiding displacement, and resulting in a cost-saving of Rs 193 Crore.

Embracing green building principles, BSRP, a member of the Indian Green Building Council, incorporates energy-efficient designs for stations and aims for near-zero energy consumption.

Furthermore, provisions for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure installation are planned across all station premises.