integrated rail system

Different things proposed to counter the transportation problem in namma bengaluru. Mono rail, metro (underground, elevated), rail to airport, etc. I have feeling that it might end up in fragmented network, where in you might end up using multiple ways to reach one point to other (auto, city bus then mono rail then metro and then airport train). This is a best opportunity to build an integrated system rather then ending up in a fragmented web. I have used many of the European public transport, saw it how convenient to have such integrated system. The major junctions would have one metro to another metro or airport line connectivity. Basically you don't have to leave the station (no ticket checking needed while you change the lines!). Most of the times, because of underground lines, the meshed network, connectivity is at its best.

Better planning is needed to facilitate such connectivity. One example is Helsinki, Finland , where they have dug one perpendicular tunnel below the tunnel that is being used. This is for future use! Going underground is 1.6 times costlier to the one that has elevated tracks. If we notice, if the project is delayed, the cost usually increases drastically. We could very well take up the underground approach and think that we built the elevated track some 3-4 years later :-). Underground station can give more coverage, by having more than two elevators to reach the track. Other points (ground level) of each elevator could be strategically placed. Going underground has another advantage that it does not touch the existing shopping/residential setup that much, which has been concern for Indiranagar shopping street. Bottom line, best to have a metro setup so as to cater future possible criss-crossed meshed tracks.

Bellandur traffic woes

In busy hours, most of the junctions have traffic jam problem. The one at the Bellandur junction is no different or may be one of the worst ones. Morning 8 to 10 and evening 5.30 to 7.30, when the vehicle accumulation is at its peak. At these timings, the service roads are also occupied by the vehicles in the same direction as the main roads. These service roads suppose to cater opposite direction movement to reach interior parts of residential area (instead of going to end of main road and then coming back) is not at all possible. See photos below:


The traffic visible is for two lane service road. The three lane of the main road would be usually five lane :-). >Here is the image showing those three lanes during a Sunday morning...

Hope they take up some underpass path for this outer ring road here, very soon!

Look at the cables flying in the second image above! In Shimogga yesterday two boys died as a broken electric cable touched the ground. Few weeks ago, there was an article in newspapers about construction underpass could happen in 72 hours (some additional days for groundwork before and after). Today, they ran another news briefing that it takes much much longer to get it done. Other part of the story is the cost of this ready made underpass is 10 crores Rs, but for the ground work related to moving the cables/pipelines etc is 10 crores! Planning is needed (whie drawing electric lines, fibre optic lines, cable tv lines, telephone lines, water pipes, drainage pipes) and proper, proper plan to cater future requirements!! Cable TV guys just run the cable whatever easiest path they can take.

queue system

On the roads, the guy who wants to take a right turn would not come behind the guys who are already waiting at the red signal. Rather he goes to straight line or even left turn line (if there is space) and puts on a right indicator. He just blocks such lane (many a times there are either free/blinking straights/left turns). In the medical shops, banks, buying popcorns in movie theater, getting into a city bus wherever you mention it, at many instances people just don't respect queue. At the baggage collection at the conveyor belt in the Bengaluru airport, nobody respects yellow line (if you are not next to the belt, it is hard to identify your luggage and if you identify it, taking it out is even harder). In western countries, whenever they such a rush possibility, people just align themselves in a line or wait for one by one to take the service. Why can't we behave like that. At many places authorities are the ones should apply their heads to start enforcing queues. Manual tokens/automated queue number generator boxes should not take much cost. Many a times multiple queues are maintained rather than single queue. Once some queue server delays due to any reason, the guys in that queue are held up. Okay this is not that serious, but many a times it could be implemented to have a single queue-multiple server system.

Anyway, coming back to people's attitude to just to rush. Such rush creates opportunities for thieves. Recent visit to Mysore Palace, such a rush cost me my latest Nokia N95 phone. At around 19:00, they lit the palace with thousands of lights. There was a huge rush to get into the palace campus to see this. Though a queue was started, people just did not go there, but started accumulating near the entrance. There was a security check for all, which was delaying. Suddenly when it became 19:00 people not in the queue started pushing to get inside. Suddenly police started to push these guys backward. In such sudden movement, somebody picked up my phone from my pocket which I felt but could not identify the person who did because of crowd. Unfortunate!! Most of the times, whenever I see rush, I usually step back even if I don't get seat/get inside on time etc. But this time some how I get carried to the entrance while talking to a relative, also the rush suddenly erupted when the police started pushing. Gave the police complaint, but did not get convinced that they would trace the phone. Besides, another two points: first one, when rush started, people were entering around (not inside) the detector box and no police was interested in enforcing them; second point after 10-15 minutes, there was no rush at all (felt very sad looking at it, I could have entered at that time!).

Being techno-geek, I have started to experiment (with this device) the GPS, videos, usage music/video player/fm radio, browsing, usage of WLAN (with hoem wlan), games (also playing it by connecting to tv), widgets, million other applications/services. But after I lost this phone, I no more have the appetite/energy/interest to have another similar device. I feel that this is useless to have in India, rather use a simple phone.

Coming to appetite part, there are so many dents/scratches on my car, and I don't feel like correcting them. There is no point in spending money on that as those things keep happening, because the way traffic on the road goes, the way people park and open their car door, etc. In our apartment complex, so many cars are in similar shape. A friend of mine was keep correcting such dents, finally insurance guy told him to hold on all the repair works, get it done when he is planning to sell the car.

Why we can't have proper system? Why people don't use common sense?