The BMTC’s experiment to make all its bus services free on Monday brought to the fore the stark reality of the shortage of buses due to an unexpected spike in the number of passengers.
Hundreds waited for buses in the main bus stand areas like Majestic, Shantinagar, Mysore Road and KR Market. The buses for many routes were inadequate as impatient crowds at KR Market tried to look for autorickshaws.
However, officials from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) said the ridership crossed 35 lakh on Monday. While the number may not be big compared to the 50 lakh per day seen nine years ago, it has set a record of sorts in the post-lockdown period, when the week-day average was at 27 lakh.
The BMTC’s experiment was aimed at attracting more people to public transport, especially those who had not utilised their services. However, every bus plying in the city seemed to be full even in the afternoon.
An official said they had not expected an overwhelming response. “As it was a holiday, we felt that the free service may not lead to a major spike in demand. More buses and staffers are needed to cater to such demand in buses,” he said.
Published 15 August 2022, 19:37 IST