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Why I gave up on BMTC
Written By namma_nadu - 9 June, 2008
Bangalore Congestion BMTC BTM Layout Review competition public transport
[Kind of mirrors what so many members here think of BMTC - routing not right, slow, last mile hassle etc etc - here is a real user experience {blr_editor}]
Last week i resolved to try BMTC to commute to office - from BTM to CBD - Ulsoor Road ( or Halsooru Road). I had written earlier to Mr. Sheriff and Tripathy earlier on the pathetic treatment meted out to BTM residents - to no avail. There is not a single bus that runs from BTM to MG Road directly - convenient to travellers.
First - we have 201 and its variants - which are crowded by the time they reach BTM. Requests for a BTM - Domlur variant have been denied till date. Requests for a 'seating only' premium variant have been declined.
Next option is BTM - Shivajinagar - 161D (i think) - that bus route is a joke - From BTM, the bus enters koramangala near Madivala (Kendriya Sadan) and enters Hosur Road again (near Forum) -- normally 30 minutes to do this jig....and then enters Shantinagar near (erstwhile Elgin Mills) and joins Richmond Road. This is pathetic as that road is one-way except for BMTC buses (hence the road is jammed on the right by the oncoming traffic - who are perplexed by the buses on the 'one way' and it takes atleast 20 minutes to reach richmond road. By the time, the bus reached MG Road - it was 10.15 am (for a bus that started at BTM at 8.30 am).
Now i had to take an auto to reach office (the 14th auto took mercy on me - as this was minimum meter @ Rs.15/- + 5/- for the 'mercy').
I have written to BMTC requesting for premium service - during rush hours - charging a premium - double (or more) the fare - seating only AND have point to point -- BTM to Shivajinagar with a stop on Residency Road & MG Road ONLY - in the shortest route possible - BTM to Hosur Road - onto Museum Road - to St Marks Road - to shivajinagar -- Something they can cover in 45 minutes during the rush hour.
Why cant they do this? If its a volvo - i am pretty sure that would atleast be full during rush hours. Another point is that BMTC has ignored BTM for volvo services completely ( Are only JP nagar residents preferred for volvo travel ?? - there is no airport bus from BTM). In fact one route that i had suggested has been ignored - Silkboard to Majestic via BTM / Jayanagar 5th Block - and then straight on 'Nanda' road. The volvo's are never seen during rush hours in the evening - they are taken off at 7 pm....while they ply empty between 11.00 am - 4.00 pm.
I think BMTC has lost the plot. Enough of my rantings. Oh ! and i have shifted back to using my car ....after a week.
COMMENTS
Bangalore_guy has elsewhere mentioned about how useful the "Yelli Iddira?" service was. In fact, I was fully involved in implementing it, and it ran well for over 6 months. During the period, I (and my family members and many friends too) used to travel extensively on the VOLVO buses, and it used to be a pleasure. At its peak, it used to record close to 1000 SMSs daily. Sadly, the BMTC authorities didn't see enough value in it to want to overcome some minor technical and revenue issues, and unceremoniously dumped it after extracting the initial publicity mileage. Many regular users, specifically lady executives, complained bitterly through the 'feedback' provisions on the web-site. I compiled them all and sent them to Mr Tripathy himself, even after which there has been no positive outcome, except for some lip service.
I now see the answer only as at
http://praja.in/bangalore/blog/murali772/2008/06/01/bus-services-different-approach
Muralidhar Rao
Vasanth - 9 June, 2008 - 07:42
There is a gap between what people want and what BMTC is delivering. We at the praja Working Group just want to bridge the gap and propose new routes to BMTC. We want what made you to give up the BMTC so that we can check up with Mr. Tripathy's team if they can provide the same.
Let us also do brainstorming on new routes which is needed and the TTMC concept. Let us keep our Working Group ball rolling. We just can't keep quiet and be an armchair critic.
murali772 - 9 June, 2008 - 08:23
Vasanth
Leave alone route rationalisation, and what not and what not. Like I have stated elsewhere, I'll be happy if anyone can even get BMTC to display the route numbers properly on say 90% of its buses. It's based on all my experiences working with BMTC in my capacity as the co-Chairman of its CCTF, and later in implementing "Yelli Iddira?", that I am talking. It's no arm-chair talk, please!
So, what I am suggesting is that the working group should now direct its efforts at engaging the minister concerned into effecting policy changes to bring in effective competition, which is the only way BMTC will become more accountable.
Muralidhar Rao
murali772 - 10 June, 2008 - 06:58
There are basic deficiencies with the bus service, which if not corrected, will make this an impossible task. Wife and I just made a weekend trip out to Calcutta, and here are the negatives we observed. These might be small issues for die hard public transportation addicts, but to get people out of cars and into buses, these will need to be addressed.
1. On the way to the airport, we waited for 45 min in front of the Grand Ashoka hotel before we got a bus. Apparently there is supposed to be one every 25 min on Route 9. This was surprising since G.Ashoka is the first stop after the departing point, Majestic. It's hard to believe there was a 20 min traffic hold up between those two points at 2 pm in the afternoon.
2. I had called the BMTC control room to confirm that the bus stops in front of the Grand Ashoka hotel. The operator gave me information that was consistent with the route map downloaded from the airport website. However, at the physical location, we found *no* indication that the bus would actually stop there. The security guards of the hotel gave comfort and pointed out the exact spot where the bus typically stops. In the end, the bus almost breezed past us. After some frantic arm waving, it overshot us by some 100 ft.
3. The driver on the return trip was a very bad driver. He honked incessantly, and kept weaving form one side of the highway to the other. On the bus NH7 stretch, he narrowly missed scraping other buses, nearly hit an auto, pedestrians, and a motor cycle.
4. The return trip bus (Airport -> Majestic) left at a time that seemed to have no connection with the published schedule. It left 15 min late, or 10 min early, depending on which way you look at it.
5. Neither bus we took had luggage racks. Luggage was basically lying around on the floor waltzing to the tune of the steering wheel. Fortunately the bus was not crowded, so there was plenty of floor space, but one wonders, if the bus was full, where would all the luggage go? That said, we did see a few other buses equipped with luggage racks.
6. Terrible choice of music. This was the most significant issue of all. Britney Spears and Bryan Adams at 8:30 am.... sigh.
Muralidhar Rao
narayan82 - 10 June, 2008 - 07:20
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