For Devanahalli's sake! BMTC to do a cabbie

For Devanahalli's sake! BMTC to do a cabbie
By S Praveen Dhaneshkar, DH News Service, Bangalore:
The service akin to 'Yellow Cabs' in New York and the famous 'London Cabs' would be a BMTC initiative, wherein distinctly coloured cars with a standard fare with no scope for overcharging will ply to Devanahalli, BMTC Managing Director Upendra Tripathy said.


While good roads, an expressway and a high-speed rail link to the Devanahalli International Airport promised by the State government progress at snail’s pace, the BMTC has chalked out its own grandiose plans offering good connectivity to the globe-trotting traveller.

The state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has vowed to make commuting to and fro from the new airport, 35 km from the City centre, a pleasant experience as the April 2 countdown for the aerodrome opening draws nearer by the day. BMTC Managing Director Upendra Tripathy said the corporation had plans to run luxury cabs from star hotels to the airport to those travellers looking for exclusivity.

“The service akin to ‘Yellow Cabs’ in New York and the famous ‘London Cabs’ would be a BMTC initiative, wherein distinctly coloured cars with a standard fare with no scope for overcharging will ply to Devanahalli. Drivers would also be adequately trained on etiquette and safe driving as they will have to cater to international clientele,” Mr Tripathy announced.

The cab service sporting a BMTC logo would be introduced to coincide with the opening of the airport, work on which is 77 per cent complete and the revenue model may be wholly owned by the corporation or on a PPP (Public-Private-Partnership) basis. This could offer travellers a new experience sans overcharging, rude and non-branded cab services existing at present.

“We have also decided to purchase 40 Volvo buses that would traverse to the international airport. It would be different from the red City buses that we ply and include facilities for travellers viz, luggage space, travel magazines on the City’s tourist must see destinations and other info,” Mr Tripathy added.

The BMTC has conducted trial runs on time taken by Volvo buses to reach Devanahalli. “The bus clocked 20 minutes when we ran it at 7:30 am from the Chief Minister’s residence on Sankey Road,” said BMTC officials.
The services would be available at special counters operated from the airport.

‘SUVARNA’ RIDE SOON
BMTC would soon introduce ‘Suvarna’, peak hour service (PHS) buses that will ply in the Central Business Districts of the City. About 500 of these specially branded buses, similar to ‘Pushpak Plus’, will operate for 4 hours each in the morning and evening.