BMTC feels the heat as ‘cool buses’ turn uncool

BMTC feels the heat as ‘cool buses’ turn uncool
Deccan Herald

While commuters in A/C buses prefer to switch it off and open the windows, those in the buses with pneumatic doors stand dangerously on footboard.

Even as BMTC awaits the delivery of 25 Volvos, likely in December, BMTC’s modern buses — air-conditioned Swaraj Mazdas — are heading towards a premature death. Introduced as a pilot project last year, seven buses were rolled on to the City roads with the promise of cushioned and cool journeys across the city. Now, the number has been reduced to five. Despite the tickets being priced at Rs 10 and Rs 15, it projects the lowest collections in the department. Also, its services are limited to only one route, between Majestic and Airport Road.

Loud noise and dysfunctional air-conditioners are now being blamed for bringing down these A/C buses’ reputation. The air-conditioning system is not based on the modern duct technology, where cool air is distributed uniformly to all parts of the bus. Instead, these buses run on traditional air-conditioners, where a large A/C machine is placed at the rear end, which forcefully pushes external air into the bus, thus creating a cooling effect. Cooling it might be, but it does cause a lot of noise pollution. Which is why, commuters now prefer to switch off the A/C and open the windows instead. “A/C buses have not been as successful as we had hoped it would,” admitted Upendra Tripathi, managing director of BMTC. The department has sent two malfunctioning A/Cs to its manufacturers in Chennai for repair work, he revealed. “The pilot project will not be extended,” said Tripathi.

Jammed doors

Though the eco-friendly Parisara Vahinis still seem to be riding on good luck, the hi-tech pneumatic doors are now turning troublesome. Thanks to the jammed system, commuters frequently stand on the footboard with the doors left dangerously open. “Air leakages can cause jamming of the doors. We are conducting maintenance work of these buses at periodic intervals to avoid such problems,” said Hemaranjanu, General Manager (Technical) of BMTC.

Target 4,440?

It is not just the crumbling hi-tech buses that is worrying BMTC. There is some other trouble on the horizon too. BMTC’s ‘Target 4,440’, deadline October, is likely to be postponed, thanks to the new Central Government order that requires all new buses to be Euro III-complaint.

“We have placed an order for 500 Parisara Vahinis - 250 for replacement of phased-out buses and 250 for augmentation of routes - but the companies are not yet ready to produce Euro III vehicles. Our suppliers, Ashok Leyland and Tata Motors, have asked for more time to upgrade their technology, so it will take a while before we acquire more buses,” Tripathi explains.