BENGALURU: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has extended the deadline for receiving public responses to the draft of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan to January 20.
BMRCL Managing Director Ajay Seth told The New Indian Express, "This followed public demand for more time to respond to it. " The original deadline was January 6 and there were voices raised in many quarters that the time given to respond to it was insufficient.
The CMP has been readied by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport and BMRCL and proposes a mass transit system with integration of Metro, Suburban Rail and BMTC. It has proposed implementation of the plan in three phases from 2020 to 2035.
The plan was released on the BMRCL website on December 7 to get public response. Priority bus lane corridors for 202 kms, new roads running to 515 km, dedicated high capacity corridors for 231 km and Metrolite (a lighter kind of Metro) figures in the CMP. It also proposed levying of cess on public for developing buildings, parking fee and congestion fee among other taxes to mobilise a portion of funds for putting in place infrastructure.
Sanjeev Dyamannavar, urban transportation expert welcomed the move by BMRCL. "It is really good they extended the deadline. The period opened for public responses was a holiday period and hence many were not in a position to give inputs for it. We also hope BMRCL holds a few public discussions and explains the details. Browsing through the entire plan and understanding the implications of it for the city may not be possible for all," he said.