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ABIDE Plans - More buses to the BMTC Fleet?
Written By kbsyed61 - 13 February, 2009
Traffic Bangalore BMTC Bus Abide Complaint public transport
If we look at the Bengaluru Plan2020 and news that has appeared in the media suggests that for decongestion on B'lore roads, more buses are required and hence plan to add more buses to the BMTC fleet. Here is the scoop from DH
Courtesy - Deccan Herald: http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Feb82009/city20090208117256.asp
"...In a letter to Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, ABIDe convenor and Rajyasabha MP, Rajeev Chandrashekhar said such a budgetary support was essential to realise the comprehensive blueprint for Bangalore's integrated development prepared by ABIDe and accepted by all city agencies.
ABIDe has also recommended a budgetary sanction of Rs 450 crore for a Junction-free Outer Ring Road through BDA, .........................Rs 500 crore to increase the BMTC bus fleet; "
Has anybody seen any statistics and details that justify the increase in fleet? I am definitely at loss of words to react to this piece of news. The ABIDe plan does talk about adding more buses to the fleet, but doesn't give any explanation for this suggestion. ABIDE recommends BMTC fleet to be doubled from current size of 5700 to 11000. That's a huge staggering number
I do not want to debunk this suggestion outright having known that it comes of people like R K Mishra and Prof. Ashwin Mahesh. They must have a good reason for that suggestion. It would be nice to know the details of this proposals specially increasing the BMTC fleet size.
My questions to Praja, ABIDe and everybody is,
- Does Bengaluru needs more buses? If yes how many?
- Is there any data available which pin points the routes that needs more buses to be run?
- Will the expansion help BMTC's to serve the city and all areas equitably under its jurisdiction?
Regards,
Syed
COMMENTS
Have More Buses in Crowded Routes
Vasanth - 18 February, 2009 - 05:49
In Bangalore, many BMTC routes run very crowded even without space to standing and few routes run empty with lots of buses. BMTC should make life easier for these crowded passengers by providing more buses.
kbsyed61 - 18 February, 2009 - 15:30
SB,
Did you mean 2 trips = A to B and Return only or 2 runs of A to B and return?
Bus to Route ratio and carrying capacity?
silkboard - 17 February, 2009 - 15:47
Its only a recommendation. Govt'd be better advised in due time I am sure that BMTC's bus to route ratios, and utilization of carrying capacity may not be fully optimized yet.
But I was doing some simple math which turned interesting. 5700 BMTC buses = 5700 * 50 = 2.85L seats. Make it 2.5 L for simplicity and comfort sake. Assume that each bus puts in 2 trips during peak commute hours (7 - 10). So, if they all go 100% full, buses will be carrying 5 lakh commuters. further, assume that working population of Bangalore is 20% of population of 70 lakh = 14 lakhs.
With all the above assumptions, at full cpacity, BMTC would take about 33% of the commuter load (5 lakh of 14 lakh).
Now, head to CTTP 2007. It had the statistic that BMTC's share in intra-city transport is 32%. Sort of fits, and tells you that BMTC is loaded to capacity right now!
If BMTC's stated goal is to carry 50% of commuters in next two years, then what capacity does it need to have ready?
Assume BLR population in 2011 = 80L. 20% working pop = 16 lakhs. 50% of these = 8 lakhs. Ideally, you don't want all buses to be packed at peak hours, assume average 80% load factor per trip. More or less, you come to a number which will be double of their carrying capacity today (estimated to be 5 lakh).
Oh yes, the maths above is too simplistic. But since it did fit with CTTP's stat, I feel a little more comfortable posting it.
MoUD's green buses - 700 for Bangalore
silkboard - 18 February, 2009 - 05:14
There are reports that under a plan to promote greener public transport, center (ie MoUD) is funding purchase of 'green' buses for cities. There are riders of mandatory reforms, but the talk is of Bangalore getting 700 buses for Rs 235 crore.
Not sure if Abide was talking about the same thing. In these days of hectic credit-taking, you never know if same news leads to several people raising I-did-it hands.
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