Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, informed that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will construct a three-layer flyover on the national highway stretches running through the city, consisting of two layers of the roadway and a metro line above that.
Nitin Gadkari’s proposal
In the latest proposal to reduce the traffic congestion of India’s IT capital, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that the Centre is planning to introduce a Skybus service for Bengaluru. An international consultant will be tasked soon to carry out a feasibility study and submit a primary report in three months, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways said.
“Traffic congestion is a serious problem in Bengaluru. While we can build greenfield highways outside the city like we are doing in the case of the Satellite Township Ring Road (STRR), it is almost impossible to widen existing roads. So, I have proposed to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to build a three-layer flyover on the national highway stretches in the city. It will have two roadway flyovers over the existing road and over that a metro line,” Mr. Gadkari told Times now, adding such projects are underway in Chennai, Pune, and Nagpur.
Meanwhile, a Skybus is a railway transport system that is similar to the Metro rail. It consists of an elevated track with the cars suspended below. It can travel at a speed of around 100km/h and use electric energy. Skybus service is more economical and eco-friendly than other mass transit systems existing in India. However, the project requires a huge investment.
Strong public transportation
Gadkari believes that Skybuses will effectively address the issue of the non-availability of land in Bengaluru.
The Union Minister added that Bengaluru needs a strong public transportation system even though infrastructure could help to some degree with congestion.
“Bengaluru is not only suffering from traffic congestion, but also air pollution. I wish in the next five years we increase the public bus fleet of the country from 1.5 lakh to 5 lakh and that the entire fleet is electric or uses alternate fuels. I would request the State government to increase bus services in the city. I would ask Bengalureans to demand your government introduce the trolley buses that we are trying to introduce in Mumbai. They have an 88-seat capacity and are more eco-friendly than even electric buses,” he said.
