[sustran] BMTC wants dedicated lanes for buses on 12 roads in Bengaluru

[Vinay Baindur]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/508311/bmtc-wants-dedicated-lanes-buses.html






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BMTC wants dedicated lanes for buses on 12 roads in Bengaluru
Naveen Menezes, Bengaluru: Oct 26, 2015, dhns
[image: bmtc buses, dh file photo]

*The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) wants dedicated
lanes on 12 roads for rapid and unhindered movement  of buses and to
popularise public transport in traffic-prone areas. In a week’s time, the
BMTC is likely to conduct a survey to identify the roads. *

The BMTC’s Chief Traffic Manager (Operation), Renukeshwar B C, said, “The
corporation is seriously looking forward to implementing the project,
though it’s still in its infancy. We have sought the support of the
Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and the traffic police.”

The survey will focus on ‘three- and four-lane roads’ based on such
criteria as traffic congestion and bottlenecks. The BMTC will write to the
DULT, seeking funds for the project, especially to execute specialised
design, construct medians, earmark dedicated lanes and other
infrastructure, improve quality of the system and remove the causes of
delay, he said.

The official said BMTC buses should get priority over cars or two-wheelers
in the planning and execution of traffic rules. A BMTC bus carries around
50 passengers unlike a car or two-wheeler.

“It’s better to take the buses directly to another area through strait
routes, while cars, auto-rickshaws and bikes should be given long routes.
It helps in promoting public transport and decongestion in the core areas.
The BMTC buses spend more time at traffic signals. At a traffic junction,
just three out of six BMTC buses pass before the signal turns red. The
other three buses have to wait before the signal turns green again. Making
a BMTC bus wait is like making 50-odd passengers wait,” he explained.


The blame also goes to the poor designing of roads which are not
conceptualised for BMTC buses. With the BRTS in place, public transport is
likely to get a boost resulting in smooth traffic, Renukeshwar said and
reasoned that buses needed more lanes.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M A Saleem said the stretch
from Hebbal to Silk Board junction on the Outer Ring Road, which would
become a signal-free corridor after work on the underpass and flyover got
over, could be used for dedicated lanes. The concept can only be used in
roads that have at least three to four lanes, he said.