Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy travelled in a BMTC bus during the launch on Wednesday.
Credit: DH Photo/BK Janardhan
The BMTC on Wednesday launched a new metro feeder route from the KR Pura metro station to Silk Board on the Outer Ring Road (ORR), besides three others for the east and southeastern parts.
The buses were officially launched by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy at the KR Pura metro station early on Wednesday morning, following which, he went on a ride in the first bus with MV Rajeev Gowda, vice-chairperson of the State Institute for the Transformation of Karnataka; G Sathyavathi, managing director, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC); and other officials.
A total of 38 buses — both AC and non-AC — will be running on four new feeder routes to connect more people to the metro, especially employees in the ORR and other companies in the city’s eastern and southeastern parts.
Urging everyone to collaborate with government bodies for collective action, Sathyavathi appealed to the CEOs to adopt a bus shelter and upgrade them with the BBMP.
Gowda, who collaborated with several agencies to push for the greater adoption of public transport in the city, explained the government’s vision to make 75% of the population shift to public transport. He administered an oath to the audience to use public transport at least twice a week and encouraged the public to do so as well.
Yulu co-founder RK Misra hinted at providing free metro passes to the employees of companies along the ORR who prove they are taking the metro and the feeder buses.
Several CXOs (chief experience officers) of Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) member companies rode on two of the feeder buses towards Intel’s Ecospace office on the ORR, in a bid to encourage their employees to use them to commute to office.
The feeder bus service was the result of B.PAC and WRI India’s Personal2Public initiative of encouraging people to use public transport at least twice a week.
Public transport
MN Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said that using public transport is the only long-term solution to ease the city’s traffic congestion.
“In just two days (Monday and Tuesday), we could see at least a 20% decrease in traffic volume in four junctions — NGEF, Benniganahalli, Tin Factory, and Lowry,” he told DH.
New AC e-buses to airport
BMTC managing director G Sathyavathi revealed the transport corporation’s plans to procure 320 AC electric buses that will be operated to the Kempegowda International Airport, while scrapping old Volvo buses. “We will be adding another 1,000 electric buses to our fleet and will be recruiting more crew.”
Bus routes
22 buses on the V-MF-1C route from the KR Pura metro station to Central Silk Board via Mahadevapura, Marathahalli bridge, Kadubeesanahalli, and Agara.
8 buses on the MF-2 route from and to KR Pura metro station via Mahadevapura,
Marathahalli bridge, Kundalahalli Gate, Graphite India, and Garudacharapalya.
4 buses on the MF-3 route from Kadugodi to Marathahalli via Hope Farm, ITPL, Graphite India, AECA Layout.
4 buses on the MF-4 route from Kadugodi to Marathahalli via Hope Farm, Varthur Kodi and Siddapura.