Bussing from satellite stands

Bussing from satellite stands

Bangalore will soon have three MORE terminals FOR INTER-STATE AND INTRA-STATE BUSES

Shwetha S. Bangalore

Following the success of the satellite bus terminus that has been operating from Mysore Road for three years, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to shift buses from the Kempe Gowda Bus Station to four satellite terminals — at Mysore Road, Peenya, NGEF Old Madras Road, and Hosur Road.
As the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will begin work at the Majestic Bus Stand in about three months, the KSRTC is gearing towards shifting its services to the four satellite terminals.
The Kempe Gowda Bus Station will be revived once work on the Metro is complete, but the number of buses plying from the station will be reduced.
A senior official of the KSRTC said, "The BMRCL is going to take over the place where KSRTC Majestic bus station stands. We are planning to open satellite bus terminals in three more places across the city. To reduce the congestion at the Majestic Main Bus Station, we will be shifting buses gradually to the four terminals. All these satellite terminals will be fully operational in a few months, taking off some of the burden that now falls on the Majestic Kempe Gowda Bus Station. We have already shifted three depots from Majestic to Shantinagar. Those travelling to Tamil Nadu already take their buses from Shantinagar. This process of decentralization of the bus terminals will continue."
Work on the NGEF Old Madras Road satellite terminal has begun, and is expected to be completed in a few months. Of the satellite terminals, Peenya will be the largest—the terminus is expected to cover seven acres, and the metro service too will be available from this terminus.
Each of the new terminals is expected to take about a year for construction, and cost around Rs15-20 crore, on average.
BMTC buses too will ply through these terminals. Officials expect that Bangaloreans, long used to having one centralized terminus for all buses, will take a little while to get used to different terminals.
Soon after the setting up of the satellite terminals, around 200-300 KSRTC buses will ply from each of the terminals. Once the buses are shifted out of the Kempe Gowda Terminal, there will be a period when the use of the different terminals is observed, and depending on the response from passengers, the number of buses plying from the different terminals may be increased.
The Hosur Road Satellite Bus terminal will be set up near Madiwala. The NGEF satellite bus terminal will be set up on Old Madras Road at Byappanahalli. Buses plying towards Kolar and other eastern parts will ply from this terminus.
The Peenya bus terminal will be set up near Jalahalli Circle. Buses headed to the north of the state will ply from here. The Mysore Road terminal is already in operation.
All buses plying to Mysore and beyond, to Kerala, will ply from here once the other three terminals come up.