Having seen the Metro in Delhi and Kolkata, the urban rail network in Mumbai and Chennai, the Bangalorean had always wondered why the City's existing railway llines weren't put to better use. After all, Bangalore had about a dozen railway stations criss-crossing the City... Trains there were aplenty as well, so what if they were long distance ones. A lot of people had indeed thought about connecting these existing lines and plan a road-rail network to boost Bangalore's transport connectivity and let the concept of an urban rail take root. BANGALORE 360 Degrees takes this route, and digs deeper into those RITES files. Are its recommendations feasible today, how does the Metro, Monorail and the roads fit in. Now, that was a question then, and still is. Read on to find more. Much hope hinges on the Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan for Bangalore prepared by Rail India Technical and Economic Society (RITES), consultant for transportation projects to provide a solution for the City's transportation crisis. The report was readied for the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation in October 2007. A multi-modal public transport system involving rail and road routes is the thrust of the plan. The railway options it provides are the creation of Mono Rail or Light Rail Transport Corridors and Commuter Rail Corridors. Here is an elaboration on the proposal and the reaction to it from experts in the field: Mono Rail/Light Rail Normally, if the peak hour peak direction trips takes upto 15,000 people, buses would be able to handle it. However, this would be possible only if a dedicated 10-meter wide bus lane is created. Right of Way issues would come in the way of creating such bus lanes. Therefore, elevated lanes, are the only solution. According to sources, the route proposed is a mono-rail along the Western crescent of the Outer Ring Road from Bellary Road to Kanakapura Road along with a couple of spurs along selected radials leading to the core area. In addition, an independent corridor has been proposed from Hosur Road-Bannerghatta Junction to National Park. The plan suggests radial corridor along Magadi Road and Bannerghatta Road to be extended up to the Peripheral Ring Road along Outer Ring Road extended up to Bannerghata Road. It also suggests creation of ten commuter rail corridors.