Politics
Karnataka Approves Transit-Oriented Development Policy for Bengaluru Alongside Electric Bus Fleet Expansion
Bengaluru residents may encounter higher building densities near metro stations and a larger electric bus fleet as state authorities advance multiple transport policies based on current mobility data and targets.
How we reported this
The Karnataka Government has approved a Transit-Oriented Development policy that sets a target of 70% public transport modal share by 2030 and allows enhanced floor area ratios of 300-500% around metro stations. This policy forms part of broader efforts to update mobility planning in the city.
Current Status of Mobility Planning Documents
Bengaluru's Directorate of Urban Land Transport has stated that the existing Comprehensive Mobility Plan relies on 2014-15 data and is therefore outdated. A new plan is being prepared with the aim of delivering an 803 km public transport network by 2031. Separately, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority, enacted by the Karnataka Assembly in late 2022, has not yet been fully constituted, with draft rules released for public feedback only in January 2025.
These planning updates coincide with fleet expansion measures. Bengaluru has received the largest allocation under the central PM E-DRIVE scheme, which provides for 4,500 electric buses. This allocation exceeds those for Delhi and Hyderabad and is intended to help the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation reach a fleet of 15,000 buses by 2031.
Additional Recommendations from Policy Reviews
Recent policy reviews and the Economic Survey 2025 have put forward suggestions to introduce congestion pricing in dense business districts and to legalise shared autos and e-rickshaws. These steps are presented as measures to lower reliance on private vehicles and to address time losses caused by traffic congestion for daily commuters.
Residents living near metro stations may see changes in permitted building heights and densities if the floor area ratio provisions of the Transit-Oriented Development policy are applied. Those dependent on bus services could encounter a gradual increase in electric buses once the allocated vehicles enter the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation fleet. The incomplete constitution of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority means that coordination across different transport agencies remains under the existing institutional arrangements for the time being.
Implementation of the new Comprehensive Mobility Plan and the Transit-Oriented Development policy will depend on further administrative steps, including finalisation of the authority's rules and integration of the recommended measures from the Economic Survey 2025 into operational programmes.