CITY TO TAKE a BUS RIDE TO END PARKING WOES

CITY TO TAKE a BUS RIDE TO END PARKING WOES

10 Traffic Transit Management Centres planned between BMTC and Metro rail

Hemanth Kumar. Bangalore

It will almost be like drive it, park it and forget it. Within two years, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) could prove to be the much-awaited solution to your chronic parking woes in the city, while allowing you a more comfortable ride on the bus or, subsequently the Metro rail, to reach your destination in Bangalore.
Simply, BMTC will help you reduce your driving stress and allow you to commute without worrying about your car parked back at the BMTC terminus.
With an aim to considerably mitigate the parking woes of Bangalore's motorists even as it hikes up its revenues, BMTC is developing 10 Traffic Transit Management Centres (TTMC) for inter-modal transport connectivity between BMTC and the Metro rail services. These TTMCs will have multi-storey parking space for cars and two-wheelers, food courts and shopping malls, transport minister R Ashoka told DNA.
When completed, the TTMCs will provide parking space for a total of about 10,000 cars, and all the 10 TTMCs are expected to be up and functional in the next two years.
There's more up BMTC's sleeves. "We are changing the very concept of bus stands in almost all layouts and suburbs. Apart from the TTMCs, 35 more multi-storey bus terminals would be built in which bus stand would be in the basement while the other floors will be meant for parking, commercial and office space which will generate huge revenue," he said.
BMTC and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) own over 1,500 acres of land in Bangalore and other major towns in Karnataka. "We want to fully exploit the lands by building multi-storey parking and commercial complexes. Ultimately, BMTC and KSRTC will look beyond just the bus fares to generate revenue and offer better services," Ashoka said.
An ambitious plan has been drawn up to tap the potential for generating advertising revenue through Volvo and other buses of BMTC. The corporation is aiming to cross Rs20 crore in bus advertising revenue alone.
"This change in the thinking on managing the transport department will enable us to introduce more buses, make public transport very comfortable and keep the ticket rates at the lowest possible level," he explained.