The BMTC bus stop at the Kempegowda International Airport.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is adding a new route to its Vayu Vajra fleet from Attibele, starting May 19 (Monday).
The new route, KIA-8H, is the 17th addition to the services, currently operated by Vayu Vajra to ferry passengers to and from the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).
Starting from the Attibele bus stand, the new service will play through Bidaraguppe, Medahalli, Sarjapur, Dommasandra, Kodathi Gate, Kaikondrahalli, Bellandur, KR Puram, Babusapalya, Veerannana Palya, Hebbal, and Kogilu Cross.
Six buses have been deployed for the route, with services scheduled at hourly intervals from 5.30 am to 10.30 am and 5.20 pm to 10.20 pm from the Attibele bus stand, and from 2 am to 7 am and 2 pm to 7 pm from the airport.
With a majority of Vayu Vajra’s clientele coming from east and south Bengaluru, the additional route will ease demand in the region, said GT Prabhakar Reddy, Chief Traffic Manager. “As per our preliminary research, we are hoping to draw crowds from the IT corridor,” he added. Currently, the buses carry about 14,000 passengers daily.
Of the 16 existing routes, more than half originate from either the eastern or southern parts of the city.
Shaheen Shah, a resident of RR Nagar, hopes the BMTC will increase the frequency of buses from west Bengaluru. “Currently, Vayu Vajra is the most efficient and cost-effective way to travel to the airport, but not many buses pass through this route. If the BMTC makes the service more accessible to areas of west Bengaluru, it’ll be helpful,” she said.
Over the past few months, passengers have also complained about Vayu Vajra buses making stops only at designated locations. Earlier, passengers could request stops on the route.
“In Indiranagar, the bus stops only at the signal near KFC on 100ft Road. I live 700 metres away from there. Despite requesting, the driver refused to drop me closer to home. After a long flight, having to lug two suitcases in the middle of the night takes away from the convenience factor that the bus service is known for,” quipped Arvind L, an Indiranagar resident.
While drivers are allowed to help customers alight closer to their destination on request, they may not always be able to fulfil the request due to moving traffic or time constraints, said Reddy.
Most frequented locations
Among the existing Vayu Vajra routes, some of the most frequented locations are Electronics City, Sarjapur, Marathahalli, Whitefield, Tin Factory, Central Silk Board, and Mehkri Circle.