Addressing reporters Transport Minister R Ashok said the fares for the trial trips will be on par with Volvo bus fares and added: “We’ve however decided to ply the buses for Rs 5 (start point to final destination) for the first three days.”
Routes
On Saturday, the first day, bus one (335-E) travelled between Majestic and Kadugodi while bus two (356-C) plied between Majestic and Electronic City.
On day two, bus one (500-K) will ply between Vijayanagar and ITPL, and bus two (365) will go between Majestic and Bannerghatta National Park. On day three, bus one (2) will travel between Majestic and J P Nagar 6th Phase and bus two (195) will ply between Chandra Layout and Shivajinagar.
For the next 12 days –– August 31 to September 11 –– bus one (335-E) will travel between Majestic and Kadugodi, while bus two (356-C) will ply between Majestic to Electronic City.
In the second phase of the trial run from September 12 to September 26, bus one (9) will travel between Majestic and Bengaluru International Airport with fares on par with the Vayu Vajra buses. And bus two (500-K) will go between Vijayanagar and ITPL with fares on par with the Vajra buses.
The trial run is in line with the Corporation’s tradition of conducting a viability operation through such runs before the purchase of any new vehicle.
10 more buses
Following the good response Benz buses garnered during the long route trial runs between Bangalore and Mysore, the KSRTC has decided to purchase about 10 Benz buses by September 15.
Moreover, about 40 multi-axle, eight-wheeler Volvo buses are to be purchased by the end of October.
While stating that Traffic Transit Management Centre (TTMC) at Bannerghatta and a bus depot at Chikkanagamangala will be thrown open to the public on Sunday, Ashok said a Rs 30 crore bus stand has been completed in Hassan district and will be inaugurated in the next 10-12 days.
He remarked that the department’s objective was to develop bus stations and depots of the same quality as in Bangalore at other centres in the State.
Donation
The BMTC and KSRTC has decided to donate Rs 50 lakh to the Institute of Nephro Urology at Victoria hospital for purchase of 10 dialysis units and also provide for an ambulance, Ashok said.
Of this, BMTC donated Rs 25 lakh to the institute on Saturday, and said there will be a separate block named after the Corporation at the institute. Employees of BMTC and KSRTC will get free treatment here, Ashok said.