Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) recently proposed to put up digital display boards at bus-stops across the city to give real time information on bus timings, but it was shot down by the BBMP as it was apprehensive that it would lose ad revenue from these bus-stops.
The BMTC later approached the chief secretary, and after his likely intervention, the BBMP has agreed to share the bus stop space for Passengers Information Display Boards (PIDBs), which will be installed at a few bus-stands. “We had first aimed to install them in 500 major bus-stops. The plan was ready from our end and we were waiting for BBMP’s approval. But for many days, we did not get any response. Finally, we have got their approval and now the plan is to install the boards at 195 bus shelters,” said a senior BMTC official.
The digital boards have been installed at a few bus-stops on a trial basis. Depending on the passenger response and the usage, more bus-stops will be covered. BMTC, which operates over 2,000 routes in Bengaluru, has around 1,560 bus shelters.
A recent survey revealed that the speed of BMTC buses has come down from 24 kmph to 17 in the traffic-gridlocked city, forcing commuters to opt for cabs, autos and Metro. “The new technology will give real-time information, such as weather and bus updates. Even after installing PIDBs, the BBMP can continue to use much of the bus-stand space for advertisements, which would look even more attractive.
“A similar initiative has already got a good response at the Mysuru KSRTC bus stand which was initiated by our present BBMP commissioner when he was in KSRTC,” the BMTC official said.
“Now, people don’t have any information on bus timings. It is good that the BMTC is putting up these display boards. It will definitely help commuters like me who depend on buses,” said Mr Santosh S., a regular bus commuter.
The Passenger Information Display Board (PIDB), part of BMTC’s intelligent transportation system (ITS), will provide information in English and Kannada about bus movements and their arrival and departure timings. They will also have a provision to display advertisements.
