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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
Commuting in Bangalore - All modes a problem
Vasanth - 5 December, 2010 - 09:12
Well, commuting Bangalore either by car or by two wheeler or by bus any mode you take, it is a problem !
Cars suffer from frequent dents and many other car drivers irk by staring at you, exchanging words etc., expensive along with causing congestion, higher emission, parking problems etc.
two wheelers are no more safer due to increased number of rash driving 4 wheelers ,
public transport buses have so many problems as buses not stopping in bus stop, conductor / driver mis behaves, combination of lazy bus drivers and conductors wastes commuter time like anything,
Autos do not come to where we request, demand more, not safer.
How to commute???
I was always thinking affordable sharable standard service taxis like Meru cabs / Easy cabs introducing small car based taxis with shareable option. It will be indirect car pooling, no hassles of driving, point to point service, no need to bother about vehicle or no need to own.
murali772 - 5 December, 2010 - 12:24
BMTC calling up the aggrieved and apologising is certainly an improvement. But, there are so many systemic improvements required (on many of which Prajagalu can possibly help), and unless they address them, they will have to keep apologising in future also.
A test as to whether they have actually brought about some improvements may be by making a few calls to their call centre say a week from now, and noting the responses.
@ Vasanth - point to point services will call for (60 lakhs city population + 20 lakhs floating population) X 2 trips, assuming they all choose to become mobile. And, that's not the way public services should be operating. They should cater largely to the majority's requirements. Point to point services need to be left to private operators.
The ultimate answer is efficient, direction- oriented services, supplemented by feeder services. And, I'll reiterate that BMTC cannot do it alone.
murali772 - 5 January, 2012 - 11:52
bus routes, timings and frequency would change arbitrarily, some drivers and conductors viewed the vehicle as their personal fiefdom to run as they pleased, that they felt when you were on ‘their territory’ they could be as rude as they wanted to, and the fact that the rudeness went up several notches when they figured you didn’t speak Kannada. I learnt the exact meaning of the word 'disdain’ on these buses.
I don't want to stop using a public service, supposedly run by professionals, because I don't speak the language.
For the full text of the report in the ToI, click here.
Here's somebody making genuine efforts to switching to use of buses. And, for all the ordeals she has been subjected to, if she is still persisting with travelling by BMTC, it shows a certain amount of will power on her part. The question is how many are blessed with that.
The problem plainly is that it is not run by professionals. And, till such times as it remains a government monopoly, it will not change any.
murali772 - 1 January, 2013 - 10:58
Taking a ride on a BMTC bus is fraught with unpleasant experiences for commuters -not because of bad roads or traffic jams, but due to the rude behaviour of the bus crew. Everything from commuters' queries on destinations to tendering change threatens to erupt into nasty confrontations with the crew.
- - - Not that Kannadigas have pleasant experiences in a BMTC bus. Padmaja Narayani, a pregnant woman and resident of Thindlu, said indifference was common to both the crew and passengers. "I once boarded a bus where all seats were occupied. Neither the crew nor the co-passengers heeded to my pleas in Kannada for a seat," said Padmaja.
Padmaja, a Kannadiga, realized that language had nothing to do with this rude behaviour. "I kept standing until another young woman fought with a co-passenger to let me sit; she did not know Kannada and so the conductor shouted back at her. I am a native of this land but this incident made me feel ashamed," she said.
For the full report in the ToI, click here
Very long way to go before BMTC can come anywhere close to matching the demsnds of the city satisfactorily. Well, you can say they are better than BBMP, if it is of any consolation.
Today's Mirror says BMTC apologized
Naveen - 5 December, 2010 - 04:58
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has suspended its conductor for illtreating a passenger. Bangalore Mirror had published a report titled At mercy of rogue conductor (Dec 2) which mentioned how G Tanzeem, a techie, was subjected to harassment.
The BMTC also said the “inconvenience caused to the commuter due to unhelping attitude of the conductor is deeply regretted”.
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