Bus rapid transit system to come soon

Bus rapid transit system to come soon

The first BRTS project will take off in a matter of months, augmenting connectivity to interior localities and reducing travel time. Sai Prasanna reports

Many measures are being taken by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to make public transport easy to access and a popular way to commute. With areas away from the city developing at a fast pace, connectivity to the interiors and distant areas has become crucial. To increase the network to the suburban areas in the Bangalore Metropolitan Region which are being developed by the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) under the Revised Master Plan 2015, mass transport system, which will be multimodal to ensure seamless travel, was introduced comprising Metro and Mono rails, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and commuter rail services.
While the mono rail has a carrying capacity of up to 30,000 passengers during the peak hours, the metro rail has a peak-hour capacity of up to 40,000 passengers and more. Alternatively, the BRTS will have a carrying capacity of 15,000 passengers per hour but it will work out less expensive. As of now, work on the metro and mono rails has already begun, the BRTS project is yet to take shape.
The BRTS was conceived to facilitate transport to developing areas that will not be covered by the metro rail and in corridors that have a heavy passenger load. Initially, it was slated to cover a running area of 265 km but the revised (Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Plan (CTTP), which came out recently, has now increased this to cover 291.5 km totally. The buses along this route will have a frequency of less than five minutes and will include buses like the Volvo to make travel more comfortable.
A pilot project has been proposed from Hebbal to Silk Board junction covering a distance of 39 km. The detailed project report (DPR) has already been prepared by a private company and work is most likely to commence in another six months. The estimated cost for the BRTS is Rs 10-12 crores per km. While the rolling stock will be provided by the BMTC, the road infrastructure will be taken care of by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Since the BRTS has a dedicated path, there will be fewer interruptions and faster running time.

Mass transport corridors in city