23 bus stops to be relocated

23 bus stops to be relocated

The Hindu

Most of them are close to road junctions, approaches to flyovers or on one-way roads

# Traffic police list 26 bus stops and recommend alternative locations to the BMP
# BMP to spend some amount on bus shelters if advertising agencies cannot foot the bill



EASING TRAFFIC CONGESTION: Many of the bus stops to be relocated are built by advertising agencies on a build-operate-transfer basis with revenue from advertising. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: Twenty-three bus stops in the city will be relocated shortly to places identified by the traffic police. This was decided on Monday at the meeting between officials of Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, traffic police, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation and advertising agencies who have sponsored these bus shelters.

Three of these bus stops are located on Residency Road, one on Richmond Road, one on Airport Road, two on Sarjapur Road and others on Bellary Road, Koramangala, Hosur Road, Kathriguppe, Old Madras Road and Mysore Road.

One of the three bus stops on Residency Road now located near Devatha Plaza, is expected to be relocated near the Hajj Committee Office on Richmond Road. The second one near IBM, will be shifted to Commissariat Road. The third now opposite St. Jospeph's College will be relocated between the Bangalore Central Mall and Garuda Mall.

The bus stop near D'Souza Circle on Richmond Road will be relocated opposite Sacred Heart Boys' School. The bus stop near Domlur water tank on Airport Road will be shifted close to ASMT Gate. The bus stop near Baldwin Boys School on Hosur Road will be shifted to a spot opposite Johnson Market, replacing a small park. The bus stop at the Koramangala BDA junction will be shifted to a spot near Canara Bank.

The traffic police suggested shifting of these bus stops because they are very close to road junctions, approaches to flyovers or one one-way roads where vehicles usually drove fast. The traffic police had listed 26 bus stops and recommended alternative locations to the BMP six months ago. This was taken up again in July by Police Commissioner Ajai Kumar Singh.

According to BMP Special Commissioner Gaurav Gupta "the proposal was examined by the BMP advertising section which also estimated the cost of relocating the bus stops, likely new locations and forwarded it to the finance department which examined the financial implications. Then we informed the advertising agencies to Monday's meeting."

The bus stops to be relocated are installed by advertising agencies on a built-operate-transfer with revenue from advertising. "If funds as a constraint for advertising agencies, or if they cannot convince their clients of the need to relocate, we are willing to spend up to Rs. 25,000 on each new bus shelter," Mr. Gupta said. Three other bus stops which the police wanted to be relocated are outside the BMP jurisdiction, he said.