BMTC wants dedicated lanes for buses on 12 roads in Bengaluru

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) wants dedicated lanes on 12 roads for rapid and unhindered movement  of buses and to popularise public transport in traffic-prone areas. In a week’s time, the BMTC is likely to conduct a survey to identify the roads.

The BMTC’s Chief Traffic Manager (Operation), Renukeshwar B C, said, “The corporation is seriously looking forward to implementing the project, though it’s still in its infancy. We have sought the support of the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and the traffic police.”

The survey will focus on ‘three- and four-lane roads’ based on such criteria as traffic congestion and bottlenecks. The BMTC will write to the DULT, seeking funds for the project, especially to execute specialised design, construct medians, earmark dedicated lanes and other infrastructure, improve quality of the system and remove the causes of delay, he said.

The official said BMTC buses should get priority over cars or two-wheelers in the planning and execution of traffic rules. A BMTC bus carries around 50 passengers unlike a car or two-wheeler.

“It’s better to take the buses directly to another area through strait routes, while cars, auto-rickshaws and bikes should be given long routes. It helps in promoting public transport and decongestion in the core areas. The BMTC buses spend more time at traffic signals. At a traffic junction, just three out of six BMTC buses pass before the signal turns red. The other three buses have to wait before the signal turns green again. Making a BMTC bus wait is like making 50-odd passengers wait,” he explained.

The blame also goes to the poor designing of roads which are not conceptualised for BMTC buses. With the BRTS in place, public transport is likely to get a boost resulting in smooth traffic, Renukeshwar said and reasoned that buses needed more lanes.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M A Saleem said the stretch from Hebbal to Silk Board junction on the Outer Ring Road, which would become a signal-free corridor after work on the underpass and flyover got over, could be used for dedicated lanes. The concept can only be used in roads that have at least three to four lanes, he said.