Rising Wisely

Here’s a visual representation of the Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan for Bangalore . The report states that this plan was commissioned by the government of Karnataka to address the transport needs of Bangalore upto 2025. Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) has initiated this study and engaged RITES Ltd, a Government of India Undertaking, to carry out this study.

The plan outlines the various agencies which will be involved in implementing different parts of the plan. However there is no single agency which seems to be responsible for monitoring and coordinating the overall plan.

What is also interesting about the CTTP is that while a number of policies like the National Urban Transport Policy, the Draft Karnataka Urben Development Policy and the Draft Karnataka Transport Policy call for promoting non-motorised transport, out of the CTTP’s Budget of Rupees 45534 crore (for Phase 1 and Phase 2 only) not even Rupees 1 crore is allotted for bicycling, a significant mode of non-motorised transport. Having a closer look at the funds for pedestrian facilities, one sees that these funds are allocated for pedestrian overpasses and not for footpath improvements. This even as the draft BMLTA pedestrian policy says that pedestrian overpasses are a failure in most places.

It therefore does make one wonder if there is a disconnect between policies and plans for actual projects. Have a look at the plan and let us know if it raises any questions in your mind too. Do also share what you think about the visualisation.

(This is a new version):

(Here was the original version):

(As you can see the many projects and organizations responsible for them make this a particularly rich information design challenge).

Present below is another map showing the routes and locations for the various projects proposed in the CTTP. Interestingly, the outline of the map does not confirm to the new BBMP boundaries or the old BMP boundaries. The map shows a plan for a Bus Rapid Transit System(BRT) on the outskirts of the city. Most BRT implementations across the world cover the core city area and are not restricted to the outskirts. By proposing a outskirts only BRT, does the plan indicate that within the city, buses cannot get priority over cars or other motorised private transport?

(Click for larger version)