Enforce bus lane discipline, things will work

As a decongestion strategy, the city got a Bus Priority Lane on Outer Ring Road, and this was expected to be expanded to other roads. However, there is now a huge demand to do away with the bus priority and even cycle lanes to free more space for private vehicles on Outer Ring Road.

What should be the government’s response? The lane has the potential to transform public transport in a city grappling with an unprecedented surge in private vehicles. DH interacts with a cross-section of Bengalureans to get their views.

Shweta Kannur, a resident of Bellandur, has this to say: “I feel there is a serious lack of communication between government departments. I wonder how they expect bus priority lanes and cycle lanes to work when construction of the Metro line is proceeding on Outer Ring Road.”

She feels that this indicates a lack of planning and pure waste of public money. “The bus drivers drive erratically, sometime even on bus lanes. Improved and more public transport facilities with GPS tracking, proper training to the bus drivers to follow lane discipline and bringing in strict rules for the drivers and the general public are some of the simple and easy solutions.”

Veeresh Shetty, director of Raptor visa and permits, notes: “This Bus Priority Lane on Outer Ring Road and free lanes for cycles immensely motivate everyone to shift to mass transport from private transport.”

He shares one of his unpleasant experiences: “I used to cycle to office. But after an accident, I completely stopped using the bicycle. If more cycling lanes come up, people like me will be motivated to use them. I can also motivate my employees to do the same by giving them incentives. It will be a great benefit for their personal health, nature and also it is a way to reduce carbon emission from vehicles.”

“These days, I take the Metro as it is an easy mode of transportation. The same logic applies for bus priority lanes. Commuters will shift to the bus if such lanes help them travel faster. Definitely, they wouldn’t want to take out their cars only to get stuck in traffic. Bus and bicycle priority lanes will be a game changer and definitely good for nature, traffic, health and very importantly saves everyone’s time,” he elaborates.

Jasmine Maani, an assistant professor says, “Creating a bus priority lane on ORR was commendable. But the focus now should be on ensuring that the lane is used properly, and the other vehicles follow the lane discipline, despite the congestion.”

Now with the Metro construction gathering pace on the ring road, bus commute has become a challenge, notes Roshan Amal, a software engineer. The construction work sites are always clouded with dust during summer. “These days, we cannot find any proper bus stops on the ORR. People have to stand literally on the road amid all that dust. Imagine how difficult it would be for the elderly and children.”

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