Ring Road to become Local Road

135 bus stops along 64-km Ring Road on cards
The Times of India

Bangalore: Commuters on Ring Road will no longer have to wait for BMTC buses in rain and hot sun. BMTC will provide 135 bus-stops and bus-bays along the 64-km Ring Road.

S.M. Vishwanath, BMTC traffic controller, said, “We have identified the 135 places where we will put up hi-tech shelters. Wherever we have space, we will have a bus bay along the route. We have called for tenders and the project will be completed in three-months time once the work starts. Services routes will be upgraded on timely basis, he added.

Another good news for commuters is that the the BMTC has identified 48 junctions where hi-tech bus-shelters with road maps will be built.
Vishwanath said, “We surveyed 59 junctions along with the traffic police and have submitted a report to BCC for setting up bus stands at these junctions. However, the police found that only 48 junctions were feasible after taking into account traffic congestion at these places. BCC engineering department will build these shelters and hand it over to us.

We have identified junctions near Lido Talkies, Begaum Mahal, Lalbagh main gate, Madiwala check post, Audugodi bus stand, Vijaya College, Tata Institute, Chowdaiah Road, Cunnigahm Road, Vidhana Soudha, Benniganahalli, Yelhanka Circle, Hebbal bus stop, Bellary road (Canara Bank bus stop) and others. (for junctions on various roads see box).

Referring to traffic congestion because of BMTC bus stops, he said the BMTC has eliminated most of such bus stops in Bangalore. However, there could be traffic congestion if the road has a median.

On demarcation of bus stands on the lines of Mumbai model (where bus stops are demarcated according to destination) to avoid overcrowding, he said “At Ulsoor bus stand, we have followed this model. However, space is a major problem for us to demark such destination. We have also decided to increase night bus services after 8.30 pm.”