BMTC cheapest mode of travel

BMTC cheapest mode of travel
The TImes of INdia

Bangalore: Over 26 lakh vehicles and nearly 5 million commuters. About 4,200 BMTC buses and 4 million passengers. A comparative calculation of different modes of transportation will show that it costs just 75 paise per km to travel in a BMTC Pushpak bus as against Rs 3.31 per km in a car. And a whopping Rs 6 per km by autorickshaw, the costliest mode of transport.
This gives the Bangalore traffic police one more reason to push for a good mass transportation system. An ongoing study ‘Comprehensive traffic and transportation plan for Bangalore’, carried out by the city traffic police, does a comparative analysis of costs per km for public transportation against personal vehicles. It leaves no doubt that a BMTC passenger stands to gain the most.
“Switching to mass transportation is the only solution to the traffic woes of the city. Fewer cars and two-wheelers on the roads automatically reduce congestion. People need to switch to mass transportation,’’ DCP traffic (east) M A Saleem told TOI.
The study has taken into consideration various components — cost of petrol, travel time, fuel efficiency, congestion on roads, per passenger capacity of vehicles and pollution.
The findings point out that it costs only 50-75 paise per km commuting by the 4,200 BMTC buses which make 60,000 trips a day, ferrying 40 lakh people. Interestingly, the difference in cost per km is not huge for the Metro Rail as well. Probably, it could be the second cheapest mode of travel.
Another factor in favour of mass transportation would be reduced travel time. The widening of roads to improve existing traffic condition will mean that there will be dedicated bus lanes. A workable solution will be a combination of the Metro and the existing BMTC bus service, which has taken a leap forward in terms of passenger-friendly facilities. Improved autorickshaw service can also increase the use of mass transportation.
With the impetus given to road widening, it can also mean more oneways and a smooth passage for buses minus traffic pile-ups.