Kalasipalya off limits for private buses from Aug

Kalasipalya off limits for private buses from Aug

They will be given parking facility in Yeshwantpur, Hosur Road and mysore road

BK Lakshmikantha. Bangalore



From August, Bangalore roads in the heart of the city will have 4,000 fewer buses. Private buses coming from various parts of the state will not be allowed to park at the Kalasipalya bus stand, located in the city market area.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will take up construction of a multi-facility bus station on the five acres of land of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is being used as a terminus for the more than 4,000 private buses, which make about 1,500 trips in and out of the city.
These buses from various parts of the state and neighbouring states will be given parking facility in places like Yeshwantpur, Hosur Road, and Mysore Road — locations on the city's periphery along the state or national highways through which they enter.
The BMTC will construct a modern bus terminus at a cost of Rs300 crore, transport minister R Ashoka, who visited the Kalasipalya bus stand on Tuesday, said. "Work on the new terminus will start from August, and will have parking facilities for BMTC, KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) and private buses, besides space for private vehicles," Ashoka said.
"I will discuss the project with the chief minister and chalk out the modalities with experts," he said, adding that a metro station would come up at KR Market, and the bus terminus would be useful to the metro passengers.
A detailed project report (DPR) for the terminus had to be finalised, a BBMP officer, who did not want to be named, said. "But as per the tentative plan, it will have 70 bus bays, though the BMTC has requested for only 40. It will also have parking facility for 700 cars and 200 two-wheelers."
Private buses will be given temporary parking space at the Binny Mill yard until alternatives were found, BBMP chief engineer Gopalaswamy said, adding that, for instance, private buses coming from Mysore could be accommodated at the Mysore Road satellite bus terminus for a while. "We could also allow them to park at Vani vilas and Chandravana bus stands," BMTC director Arun Chakravarthy said. "But, ultimately, they will have stands on the outskirts," Gopalaswamy added.