Rants on Bangalore's traffic situation

[hserus]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

I am slowly becoming a fan of public transport . During my next trip to KL on train, I plan to try out another route. The regular train I take 16526 "Island" Express leaves SBC at 2000Hrs. At around 1745Hrs there is the Nagercoil-Bangalore Passenger which passes CRLM station. Board it, and it should drop me at SBC by 1900Hrs. Which gives a good one hour for my dinner.

Ha ha. Sarjapur to Bangalore City at that time of the day by cab takes about two hours approx, so I am not sure you save all that much time taking a train from Carmelaram.

Also you had better reconfirm whether that train is running. I show only 3 trains between nagercoil and bangalore - none of them is a passenger that stops at Carmelaram.

http://www.indianrail.gov.in/know_Station_Code.html

What you are probably looking for is this one - karaikal to bangalore city. It has a very interesting schedule too, if you work with your manager to get off about half an hour early for people working in say Wipro on Sarjapur Road, or an hour say, for E City types who can get to Heelalige.

56513 Kik Sbc Passenger Karaikal Bangalore Cy Jn 17:29 17:30 1 min

HLE Heelalige 1 17:19 17:20 1 min 535 km 1
CRLM Carmelaram 1 17:29 17:30 1 min 545 km 1
BYPL Baiyyappanahali 1 18:19 18:20 1 min 560 km 1
BNCE Bangalore East 1 18:25 18:26 1 min 564 km 1
BNC Bangalore Cant 1 18:34 18:36 2 min 566 km 1
SBC Bangalore Cy Jn 1 19:00 ends 0 571 km 1

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by hserus

karaikal to bangalore city. It has a very interesting schedule too, if you work with your manager to get off about half an hour early for people working in say Wipro on Sarjapur Road, or an hour say, for E City types who can get to Heelalige.

Originally Posted by sachinpk

At around 1745Hrs there is the Nagercoil-Bangalore Passenger which passes CRLM station. Board it, and it should drop me at SBC by 1900Hrs. Which gives a good one hour for my dinner.

Based on Sandeepmohan's post below, guess it is a train best avoided for a local commute. .

You can also try taking the Ernakulam-Bangalore Intercity (6.50pm at Karmerlaram and get down at Cant (7.20 pm). Still have ~1hr before Island comes at 8.10pm.

But if the Intercity is late, then you are in trouble.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

There is the return Karaikal passenger that goes to Bangalore East, at 1730 or so but a train best avoided. It is jam packed, poorly maintained rake and due to the distance of the total journey, is a complete mess on the inside. The less said about the state of the rest rooms, the better. Heck, the stench of it reaches the isle area and if you happen to be seated anywhere near it.

[hserus]

You are getting into an unreserved compartment for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Yes it will smell bad. Yes it will have all sorts of people in it, not always with a good sense of personal hygiene or cleanliness.

However - it gets you to where you want faster than any other alternative (assuming of course that the train is on time .. going out from bangalore city you can safely assume it, that is not a safe assumption for trains coming in from other cities, especially low priority passenger trains.

If you ride the mumbai locals for a few months you may cease to care about something as minor as this as long as you get a place to stand in peace with more than half a centimeter gap between your body and the body of the guy standing next to you. And as I am sure you know, the situation in these long distance unreserved coaches is rather better than the mumbai locals.

[binand]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

During my next trip to KL on train, I plan to try out another route.

My cousin who lives near E-city goes to Hosur to catch the Yeshwantpur-Kannur express. He claims going that way is more predictable. :-)

Originally Posted by sachinpk

There was some plan for having a 50-50 cost and revenue sharing formula between KA government and IR. But that did not kick off.

As far as I recall, IR is not too keen on revenue sharing with states, only cost sharing. KA despite this has shared the cost of some projects. KL on the other hand, is adamant that railways foot the entire bill (so the Angamali-Shabarimala line is now abandoned apparently).

[hserus]

Originally Posted by binand

My cousin who lives near E-city goes to Hosur to catch the Yeshwantpur-Kannur express. He claims going that way is more predictable. :-)

Shorter too - about 10..15 km less than going to YPR or KJM, and on a highway rather than bumper to bumper city traffic. So half an hour, not over two hours.

[TorqueyTechie]

Today was a pleasant surprise for me on my way to office. Usually it takes me 40 mins to go from Christ college to st.johns crossing the forum signal. Today I was able to do it in 25 mins. They have tarred the roads from madiwala towards forum covering the st johns stretch which was badly scarred. I just hope that it remains that way for some time atleast.

In the same vein, I hope they do the madiwala market road soon. Its not only the time, vehicles as well as our backs take a beating driving on that stretch.

[sachinpk]

Mean while in the city..
DRUNKEN WOMAN ASSAULTS COP, TRIES TO FLEE ON SCOOTER

Originally Posted by TorqueyTechie

Today was a pleasant surprise for me on my way to office. Usually it takes me 40 mins to go from Christ college to st.johns crossing the forum signal.

Was it also due to the X'Mas vacation fever setting in? And school buses also may be all in their sheds as the vacations have started.

[JD1]

I think it's due to Xmas vacation the overall traffic is smoother. Thread is quite silent
On the SAP Labs road in Whitefield they are strictly enforcing no-parking. Was happy to see both lanes drivable between Graphite junction and Vydehi. Also saw 2-wheelers being towed away near SJR.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by JD1

I think it's due to Xmas vacation the overall traffic is smoother. Thread is quite silent
On the SAP Labs road in Whitefield they are strictly enforcing no-parking. Was happy to see both lanes drivable between Graphite junction and Vydehi. Also saw 2-wheelers being towed away near SJR.

How about that road next to SJR I Park that leads into Gopalan Global Axis? Are they towing vehicles parked on the street there as well?

I assume all the vehicles that were parked along the main road are going to end up in this or other lanes off the road sigh. I had better check that before I decide whether to rent another zoomcar from city to reach Gopalan.

[JD1]

Originally Posted by hserus

How about that road next to SJR I Park that leads into Gopalan Global Axis? Are they towing vehicles parked on the street there as well?

I assume all the vehicles that were parked along the main road are going to end up in this or other lanes off the road sigh. I had better check that before I decide whether to rent another zoomcar from city to reach Gopalan.

I am not sure about that since I was on main road only. But you are right - the no-parking enforcement has started so better play safe. Sadly, I don't think there is any parking garage (like Jayanagar 4th block or Shantinagar depot parking) in Whitefield.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by binand

My cousin who lives near E-city goes to Hosur to catch the Yeshwantpur-Kannur express. He claims going that way is more predictable. :-)

My friend who stays in the same area also finds it easier to catch a train from HSRA instead of SBC or YPR.

Heck, there are a few of my colleagues who commute from Hosur and nearby areas to their offices in Bellandur, Marathahalli etc. For them, their work (inside office) and commute times are pretty much fixed, unlike most of us who rely on other modes of transport, including BMTC.

[hrman]

Today's morning commute from RT Nagar to Kormangala forum was much smoother than usual days. The reduction in traffic (school closure and many people on vacation) made driving less stressful compared to other days. The hosur road had been re-laid overnight with fresh tar. I noticed it from Adugodi up till Forum mall.

Somehow got the feeling that the job done overnight was more to meet the targets. Not sure how long it will last. I'm betting in another month, we will see more potholes coming back. (maybe sooner if we are lucky). But kudos to the BBMP for at least finishing re-laying this stretch before the year end.

[SR71-Blackbird]

Originally Posted by JD1

Sadly, I don't think there is any parking garage (like Jayanagar 4th block or Shantinagar depot parking) in Whitefield.

The Whitefield TTMC (Vydehi hospital bus stop) is supposed to have a multi level parking lot and it used to be managed by CPS when it was opened.
But, I am not sure if it is still available or if it has been converted into commercial establishments!

[barcalad]

Found this ridiculously funny.
No offence to them Hogs.

[itwasntme]

Interesting!

Night shift workers at increased risk for car crashes

http://m.economictimes.com/magazines...w/50280543.cms