[sustran] Now, bus connectivity to Russel Market ( after 20 years)

[Vinay Baindur]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article2622361.ece

Now, bus connectivity to Russel MarketAnil Kumar Sastry
[image: BMTC bus service routed in and arround busy Russel market area for
the last few days in Bangalore. Photo: K. Gopinathan]
The Hindu BMTC bus service routed in and arround busy Russel market area
for the last few days in Bangalore. Photo: K. Gopinathan

As regulars know too well, it's a bother if you have to shop in Russel
Market area because there's hardly any parking and you have to depend on
autorickshaws if you're laden with bags though the Shivajinagar bus station
is a potato's throw away.

So when Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) buses began
plying through this famously crowded market area as well as Broadway a few
days ago, residents, traders as well as shoppers gawped in surprise.
Tight squeeze

While some old-timers recalled the days when buses plied through this area
some 20 years ago, there were others annoyed that these big lumbering
vehicles would choke the congested roads more.

However, the Bangalore Traffic Police is determined to facilitate operation
of buses through these localities for some valid reasons, including
reducing traffic congestion at Balekundri (Indian Express) Circle and to
encourage public transport-based economic activities in the heart of
Shivajinagar.
Cubbon Road closure

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M. Abdulla Saleem told *The
Hindu *the partial closure of Cubbon Road to facilitate Namma Metro
construction had created tremendous pressure on Balekundri Circle. Buses
from Shivajinagar bound for east Bangalore were taking a circuitous route
through Balekundri Circle, Cunningham Road, Millers Road and Cantonment
Railway Station. “In consultation with BMTC, we thought of restructuring
the routes of some services to reduce the congestion near Indian Express,”
Mr. Saleem told *The Hindu*.
Encroachments

As a result, 62 schedules on route nos. 290, 290E, 291D, 290J and so on,
plying between Shivajinagar and Nagavara, Thanisandra, Hegdenagar and so on
via Tannery Road, are now diverted via Russel Market, Broadway, Police
Station Circle and Cockburn Road before joining Bamboo Bazaar Road. Mr.
Saleem said roads in these localities, though wide, had become narrow
because of encroachment by eateries and vehicle repair shops.

“All these encroachments have been removed and parking regulated on one
side of Broadway, thereby giving space for buses to ply,” he said. Besides
cutting down running time for buses, the operational distance is reduced by
about 3 km, he said.
‘Right move'

Siddique Alduri, a resident of the area, backed the move saying those
opposing the reintroduction of bus services are the road encroachers.

According to him, more mini-buses should be operated between Russel Market
and Tannery Road to curtail what he called the autorickshaw mafia. Hundreds
of women and children travel in dangerously packed “line autorickshaws”
every day, he said, and added that the operation of buses in an area was
bound to improve economic activities.
Win-win situation

BMTC Chief Traffic Manager M.P. Prabhudas said BMTC now operates about 200
trips through these localities. Besides reduction in distance, the dead
mileage was eliminated and the fare reduced by one stage (Rs. 2 to Rs. 3),
he said.

BMTC's Shivajinagar bus station in-charge Shivaprakash said for those
travelling to Cantonment Railway Station from Shivajinagar, buses towards
Banaswadi, Kalyanagar and so on, 400 trips a day, were available.