Karnataka tries to improve bus system

Karnataka tries to improve bus system
The Financial Express

The state road transport corporation of Karnataka, KSRTC, is in a fix over meeting the mass transport needs of its IT capital, Bangalore. Thanks to narrow and congested roads, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) says it cannot afford to increase the number of buses to match the needs of Bangalore’s 75 lakh population. This when the poor, inefficient and inadequate public transport system here and mounting fuel prices have become one of the biggest concerns of urban planners.

Compared to other states, petrol and diesel rates are the highest in Karnataka, with sales tax for diesel (Rs 38 per litre) being 25% and for petrol (Rs 56) being 28%.

For a population of over 75 lakh in the capital, the state-owned BMTC currently operates nearly 4,000 buses, including 1,000 privately-owned ones. The number can at best be increased by another 1,000, given road conditions in the city, says traffic expert N Sri Hari. Compared to this, 25 lakh private vehicles—including 18 lakh two-wheelers and four lakh cars — ply on the Bangalore roads.

The state is now introducing feeder routes (where all buses need not touch the city centre, with one starting at another’s last stop). The model, taken from Singapore, is expected to enable smoother and frequent public transport. An eight-member team of the transport department visited Singapore recently, and held discussions with the land traffic authority, among others, to study their mass transport system.

With mounting pressure from rising fuel prices, the state has already implemented an increase of Re 1 for every 2 km on the regular city bus routes. Further rises are possible if prices mount. “Commuters do not mind spending a premium on the tickets if it is a Volvo bus (the higher-end service, where fares range from Rs 12-50. The ticket charges can be increased in this sector if required,” say officials. “Adjusting the ticket prices to make up for petrol price increases is one issue. The second is to make up for the losses incurred from poor fuel efficiency, owing to crowded roads, despite the one-ways,” Mr Sri Hari, who is an advisor to the state government on traffic management and public transport, said.

“We have already piloted the feeder route system in a small way and the response has been good,” says a BMTC official. The state is expected to spend nearly Rs 75 crore towards inducting 100 Volvo buses on the trunk routes by November. The KSRTC is also mulling satellite bus stations outside Bangalore to avoid non-BMTC buses from entering the already crowded city roads.