Passengers excited about riding the metro on the Yelachenahalli-Anjanapura line must leave their vehicles at home since four of the five stations on the line have limited parking facilities.
The 6.29-km stretch of the line, the first of the Phase 2 stretches to be inaugurated in December, will have stations at Konanakunte Cross, Doddakallasandra, Vajarahalli, Talaghattapura and Anjanapura.
A senior Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) official said except for the terminal station at Anjanapura, there would be no parking facility in the four stations.
Land acquisition a challenge
“Land acquisition has been a major challenge for Namma Metro. Considering the availability of several first- and last-mile connectivity options, priority was given to provide accessibility to public transport users. Providing parking space, especially for cars, is a costly idea,” he said.
To a question, B L Yashwanth Chavan, Chief Public Relations Officer, BMRCL, noted that for the first time, dedicated infrastructure has been provided to ensure safe access to a metro station.
“The service roads around the metro stations will be dedicated for public transport vehicles and people to pick up and drop off passengers. Within this space, there may be very limited parking facility for two-wheelers. The option of shared mobility will be provided for first- and last-mile connectivity,” he said.
The BMRCL has spent Rs 1538.76 crore for the acquisition of land for the 42-km Phase 1 project. However, the Phase 2 line, measuring over 72 km, has already cost about Rs 5,000 crore for land acquisition.
Discussions on transferring the responsibility of the parking facility were held in 2018, when it was decided that BMRCL should focus on running the metro and improving accessibility.
It was also suggested that the BBMP should build a multi-storey parking facility at various places, especially to help metro commuters.
Pavan K P, a commuter from Narayanagara, situated about 1 km away from the new Doddakallasandra metro station, said that lack of parking facility will inconvenience many commuters.
“Konanakunte Cross is an interconnecting point for the nearby areas. The parking space at Yelachenahalli is already saturated. One or other agencies should take up the responsibility of providing parking near metro stations. It is difficult to rely on shared mobility or public transport for last-mile connectivity,” he said.