BMTC panel holds first meeting on upgradation

BMTC panel holds first meeting on upgradation
Deccan Herald

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)'s Commuter Advisory and Facilitation Committee held its first interactive meeting with people of Basaveshwaranagar on Sunday. The citizen consultative initiative is to initiate the process of preparing a report on the programmes that need to be taken up for upgrading the urban transport system under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM).

A ‘commuter advisory and facilitation committee’, comprising experts, resident welfare organisations like I Block Rajajinagar Welfare Association, women’s groups like Dharuni Mahila Sangha, senior citizens’ organisations, including Basaveshwaranagar Senior Citizens Forum, and consumer rights groups like Grahak Shakti, had organised the meeting.

Rajajinagar MLA Narendra Babu said it is important to understand the repayment mode in such public projects. JNURM will see a 15 per cent Central government, 35 per cent State government and 50 per cent equity through public participation.

Suggestions

Some of the interesting suggestions that emerged at the meeting were

n24-hour bus service

nRotation of holidays amongst educational institutions, corporates and government offices to ease congestion on roads

nCo-ordination among civic agencies like BMTC, BMP and BDA to make up for the shortage of bus shelters.

B K Satyanarayana, an educationist and co-ordinator of the west zone said, “There is no equitable distribution of vehicles on the roads. The BMTC with 4,000 buses does not get even 50 per cent of the traffic space.”

The committee will hold one-day interactions in the remaining four zones, before submitting its report to the BMTC by May 15.

The next meeting is for the South Zone on April 28 at AIIEM Building, Padmanabhanagar at 9.30 am. Those interested can contact Meera Mukund on 98865 58853.

The public can also call BMTC office on Phone: 22952422 or BMTC Customer Care at 12267, or email Mr Upendra Tripathy at utripathy@gmail.com, or fax at 2295 2401.