KSRTC bus stand to be decentralised

KSRTC bus stand to be decentralised
DH News Service,Bangalore:
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation will start plying its new Tata-Marcopolo buses in the City from November 2. The fares will be cheaper than that of Volvo buses, Transport minister Ashok said.

The Kempe Gowda KSRTC bus stand in Majestic area will be de-centralised soon.

Nearly 50 per cent of the bus operations at the existing stand will be temporarily shifted to Balekai Mandi off Mysore Road (near Binny Mill) and Shantinagar sports ground by March next.

Full-fledged bus stands are being planned at four locations — NGEF grounds off Old Madras Road, near Hebbal, Peenya and Hosur Road, Transport Minister R Ashok said on Friday.

This will pave the way for the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) to take up the construction of Metro rail main station at Majestic.

The Metro rail station is coming up on a seven-acre land. “But BMRCL has sought 20 acres for construction activities, which will begin in March 2009,” the minister said.

Besides, as many as 13 satellite bus stands are planned in Bidadi, Peenya, Byappanahalli, and other places around Bangalore.

A bus stand is also proposed at the Bangalore International Airport, the minister added.
The department is in the process of finalising the tender for construction of a hitech bus stand in Majestic area. The proposed bus stand will be developed on public-private participation model and it will have 46 floors, the minister said.

“The department has decided to purchase 2,000 new buses this year, to phase out old ones. In the BMTC alone, there are around 1,000 old buses that need to be replaced,” Ashok said.


MARCOPOLO LAUNCH TOMORROW

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation will start plying its new Tata-Marcopolo buses in the City from November 2. The fares will be cheaper than that of Volvo buses, Transport minister Ashok said. He said the fares would be unveiled on the day of launch.