<p>For a transporter that refrained from increasing passenger fares to avoid burdening the public, the BMTC has not received much help from the state government, save for a Rs 600-crore loan to buy 1,500 buses. </p>.<p>The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), whose buses ferry 40 lakh passengers every day, had requested the government to provide viability gap funding to help it tide over the cumulative losses of Rs 800 crore at a time its operational costs are soaring due to rising fuel prices and employee<br />salaries. </p>.<p>Even in recognising the needs, the government seems to have overlooked the real issues faced by the corporation. For example, the BMTC is set to scrap about 1,000 old buses this year and an equal number will go next year, long before the corporation can procure the 1,500 buses. </p>.<p>The budget talks about procuring 300 e-buses under the Union government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles and another 90 e-buses under the Smart Cities Mission. These buses, however, will not be able to improve the strength of the fleet. </p>.<p>The Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike welcomed the announcement of establishing 12 bus priority lanes and free passes for 1 lakh garment workers. “Rs 500 crore has been allocated for road development projects and the underground vehicle parking announcement is yet another initiative aimed at supporting private<br />vehicles.</p>.<p>Compared to these, the Rs 125 crore allocation for the BMTC falls far short of the needs of bus commuters or the larger sustainable mobility needs of the city,” said Vinay Sreenivasa and Shaheen Shasa of the Vedike. </p>
<p>For a transporter that refrained from increasing passenger fares to avoid burdening the public, the BMTC has not received much help from the state government, save for a Rs 600-crore loan to buy 1,500 buses. </p>.<p>The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), whose buses ferry 40 lakh passengers every day, had requested the government to provide viability gap funding to help it tide over the cumulative losses of Rs 800 crore at a time its operational costs are soaring due to rising fuel prices and employee<br />salaries. </p>.<p>Even in recognising the needs, the government seems to have overlooked the real issues faced by the corporation. For example, the BMTC is set to scrap about 1,000 old buses this year and an equal number will go next year, long before the corporation can procure the 1,500 buses. </p>.<p>The budget talks about procuring 300 e-buses under the Union government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles and another 90 e-buses under the Smart Cities Mission. These buses, however, will not be able to improve the strength of the fleet. </p>.<p>The Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike welcomed the announcement of establishing 12 bus priority lanes and free passes for 1 lakh garment workers. “Rs 500 crore has been allocated for road development projects and the underground vehicle parking announcement is yet another initiative aimed at supporting private<br />vehicles.</p>.<p>Compared to these, the Rs 125 crore allocation for the BMTC falls far short of the needs of bus commuters or the larger sustainable mobility needs of the city,” said Vinay Sreenivasa and Shaheen Shasa of the Vedike. </p>
