It has been more than two years since the Majestic Metro Station became functional and one year since it became an integration point for two metro lines in the city.
Even before the metro, Majestic was home to the city's interstate and intrastate bus depots and a major railway terminus.
But a much needed integration facility, a foot-over bridge for passengers to interchange between the metro and surface railway is not yet open to the public.
However, it's not because the work for the integration facility is not over, but due to a delay in inauguration.
A section of citizens allege that although the work for the bridge connecting the railway station and the metro is done, it’s opening has been delayed as there is a wait for a politician to formally inaugurate the facility.
“All the work is over, they are just giving excuses for not inaugurating it. They have not yet announced the inauguration when they can just open it for the public,” Sanjeev Dyamnavar, an urban mobility expert and long-time crusader of suburban railway in Bengaluru, said.
However, BMRCL MD Mahendra Jain, who is also the Additional Chief Secretary (Urban) denied the allegation that the inaiguration has been delayed.
“It is not true (the allegation). There is some work left from the railways. Then there are lights and covers to be fitted. Unless it’s fully completed, we don’t want it to be inaugurated,” he told TNM.
BMRCL PRO Vasant Rao assured that the facility will be open by the next 20 days.
Work for the integrating foot-over bridge had started in January and is still due following multiple missed deadlines.
Right now, commuters are forced to cross a garbage filled subway or cross the road, while the foot over bridge connector will shorten the distance only by 250 metres.
Ashish Verma, an expert on sustainable transportation at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, questioned why the foot-over bridge has not been open for public given that the station has been functional for so long.
“It should have been there right from the first day the station was built. Why are these things done as an afterthought? This creates a huge problem for passengers especially with luggage who are transferring between the two modes of transport. For them, to cross the road has been a horrible task so far. It is extremely necessary for the safety point of view,” he asked, adding, “There should be all efforts to open it if it as soon as possible.”
However, this problem is not unique to Majestic alone.
He continued, “Most of the metro stations have neglected the pedestrian dispersal system. It's like 'Once you come out of the metro, you can go to hell'. The same situation is prevalent in Yeshwanthpur (another major railway terminus), too. Without these you can actually lose a lot of people who will otherwise use public transport.”