Bengaluru: Now people can travel on a single ticket from Pennya to Byappanahalli. BMRCL plans to start running BMTC buses between the two stretches for ‘seamless’ travel for its passengers. The purpose is to boost passenger flow and increase revenue for the Metro.
Speaking with Deccan Chronicle, Shivananda, Deputy Chief Engineer of BMRCL says, “It will be like traveling in a single line from Pennya to Byapanahalli and vice versa. We will have BMTC buses from MG Road to Swastic metro station.” BMRCL has initiated talks with the BMTC about these plans, Shivananda adds.
“We had a few rounds of talks. There are two options for us, either to take the BMTC buses with their drivers on rent or to let BMTC operate the buses themselves and come to some kind of arrangement. But we do not want the passengers to shell out again for the bus tickets, so we will most probably take them on a daily rent basis.”
Currently, the administrative department of BMRCL is working on the travel pattern and how to integrate the fare. They are expected to come out with the entire details in a few months and the buses will start plying.
However, experts feel this initiative may not yield the expected results for the Metro. Transport expert, M N Sreehari feels, “First of all they need to complete the entire network of phase 1. Just running the metro for 6 -7 km will not change the traffic scenario of the city.
Even if BMTC runs the buses on the request of BMRCL, it will not work. It will just be a waste of money and time. It is nothing but eyewash and a poor justification for the constant delays in completing the network. Even if they introduce these buses to connect both the stretches, where is the space for these buses to park?.”
