Bengaluru: Residents of Mahadevapura shot off a letter to BMTC Chairman Nandish Reddy asking him to reduce BMTC bus fares and to ensure that the drivers don’t stop vehicles haphazardly away from designated bus stops creating traffic jams on the busy Mahadevapura Road.
Residents of Mahadevapura, Bellandur and Whitefield drew Mr Reddy’s attention to lack of discipline of BMTC staff and not stopping the buses at the designated bus-stands, especially during peak hours. The drivers stop buses at junctions and intersections blocking the movement of other vehicles, said Mr Niranjan K., a techie. BMTC drivers should be taught discipline and traffic sense. Since BMTC buses are big, they occupy major portion of the road. If they don’t stop at the bus-stops, they cause traffic jams and it makes the task of traffic police officers difficult. BMTC fares should also be brought down to encourage people to use the public transport as buses are the only solution to traffic jams in the city, he said.
“We want BMTC to increase the number of buses, especially in Bellandur, as the residents here have no bus services. The BMTC should take up placement and management of bus shelters as the BBMP does not do a good job. The Palike is only interested in placing advertisements and earning revenues from bus-stops and not the convenience of passengers,” said Ms Anjali Saini, a volunteer with the Whitefield Rising.
Replying to the citizens’ letter, Mr Reddy said that soon after the by-election, he will summon the technical and supervision staff to ensure that discipline is followed and take up traffic awareness programmes. “The traffic police issued 15 challans to motorists for illegal parking on the ITPL Main Road. But the authorities should realise that motorists need parking space,” said Mahendra, a student.
“The BMTC bus fares are very high and even for student passes with the GST added is very expensive,” he said.
—With inputs from Alfa Rasheed and Anagha
