‘We need commitment to increase patronage of public transport’

‘We need commitment to increase patronage of public transport’
UPENDRA TRIPATHI MANAGING DIRECTOR, BMTC


Why don’t you use BMTC’s profits to improve services and facilities to attract more people to use buses?
We are using the surplus to improve services by way of introducing GPS, smart cards, Vajra buses, more ordinary buses and construction of depots and bus-stands. We have ordered 40 Vajra buses to link the city and the airport at a cost of Rs 37 crore. We are spending more than Rs 150 crore to procure more rolling stock and create TTMCs during the current financial year. But road decongestion cannot happen unless supportive demand management system is in place in the city.
BMTC’s share of the commuting public has fallen substantially. Aren’t you failing in your purpose?
Our problem here is: (a) Poor quality of rolling stock; (b) Higher travel time on the roads and slow speed of public transport buses, and (c) Punctuality. We also need a commitment and drive to increase patronage of public transport. Not many public transport systems make profits. In Europe and the US, subsidy is more than
50% for urban transportation. In China, both procurement of rolling stock and fuel are highly subsidized to keep fares low. However, in India, public transport is highly taxed.
Many areas of the city are underserviced...
A comprehensive traffic and transportation study has been done by RITES and KUIDFC. The report says we need around Rs 5,000 crore to have a comprehensive transportation system in the city so that 75% of all people travel by public transportation.
Many feel bus stops are too far from their residential or office locations...
We have a dynamic system in place to continuously evaluate and set right such issues. The distance from home to the bus stop should not be more than half-a-kilometre.
The concept where the driver doubles up as conductor is a huge inconvenience for commuters and for other road-users...
I agree. World over, buses are run with single crew with an automatic ticketing system. But we have to do this due to shortage of crew. We have just appointed a 1,000 drivers. We’ll be appointing another 1,500 in a month’s time. This problem is temporary.
Why do buses often not stop at the designated bus stop, but some distance away from it?
We have been continuously training our drivers to do that. Sometimes, we are at fault. But many a time, bus stop locations are occupied by autos or waiting passengers. Or even by other buses.
When several buses come together, they should stop at a bus stop one behind the other in the order in which they come...
We have been trying for that. But in the absence of bus bays and dedicated lanes as an integral part of city roads, enforcement is a problem.
You have been planning to create bus bays for a long time...
The BBMP is on the job and will complete 140 bus bays during the current year.
In some places, there are no displays for bus stops, like the entire Cubbon Road stretch...
I assure you this problem is being addressed. We are in the middle of putting shelters and signages on the Outer Ring Road. The Cubbon Road issue will be addressed soon. We’ll take up a survey of signage systems all over the city by a professional agency soon.
You have been talking of having 1,000 Volvo buses. But Volvo says the committed orders are very few...
The Board has just decided to place order for 200 more. The government has agreed to examine subsidizing the losses due to the operation of these buses.
Your initiative to introduce pink women’s buses seems to have failed... The women specials are not very popular. We are re-examining the scheme.