The move by the State government to offer financial support to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) may have elated officials, but it has left commuters disappointed. For, many had been demanding an additional 6,000 buses and a reduction in fares.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s move to offer loan repayment for procurement of 1,500 buses and the leasing of another 1,500 by the BMTC is the largest direct financial assistance provided to the transport utility, which has consistently made losses or shown small profits, because of which it could not purchase buses on a large scale.
With the number of vehicles increasing, the importance of shoring up the BMTC’s finances was not lost on the CM. However, commuters worry that while the move is well intentioned, the scale of support is too small to make a dent in the mass transport system.
Strengthening fleet
The BMTC has around 6,100 buses. It is expected to add 4,658 buses by the end of the financial year, including 1,500 leased from private companies. But around 1,600 buses have to be scrapped as well, according to officials. This means the corporation will be left with around 9,150 buses, which is still about 3,000 short of the ideal fleet size that the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike and other citizens have been demanding.
Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) and other groups will continue to raise the demand for doubling the fleet and halving the fares.
However, both officials and activists agree that the allocation in this year’s budget is a move in the right direction. “This is definitely a good start. This kind of financial support is the largest given to the BMTC so far and it will help us reduce the cost of procurement, allowing us to mend the financial state of the corporation,” a senior official said.
Officials are hopeful procurement will be completed by the end of the calendar year. “We aim to put all these buses in operation by December,” the official said.
Fare reduction not possible: BMTC
The financial support being provided to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will help the corporation mend its financial woes. However, with no relief being provided through Motor Vehicle Tax exemption, reducing fares is going to be a tricky affair, say officials.
In the past one month, commuters have been demanding halving of fares for the popular bus service, which serves over 50 lakh persons every day.
But this has been ruled out by BMTC, which says that savings from bus procurement would be depleted with the financial settlements owed to staff.
“Although we will definitely examine the demand for reduction of fares, it seems highly unlikely. Employee salaries have to be paid and there are other expenses to be taken care of before fares can be reduced,” a senior official said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s move to offer loan repayment for procurement of 1,500 buses and the leasing of another 1,500 by the BMTC is the largest direct financial assistance provided to the transport utility, which has consistently made losses or shown small profits, because of which it could not purchase buses on a large scale.
With the number of vehicles increasing, the importance of shoring up the BMTC’s finances was not lost on the CM. However, commuters worry that while the move is well intentioned, the scale of support is too small to make a dent in the mass transport system.
Strengthening fleet
The BMTC has around 6,100 buses. It is expected to add 4,658 buses by the end of the financial year, including 1,500 leased from private companies. But around 1,600 buses have to be scrapped as well, according to officials. This means the corporation will be left with around 9,150 buses, which is still about 3,000 short of the ideal fleet size that the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike and other citizens have been demanding.
Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB) and other groups will continue to raise the demand for doubling the fleet and halving the fares.
However, both officials and activists agree that the allocation in this year’s budget is a move in the right direction. “This is definitely a good start. This kind of financial support is the largest given to the BMTC so far and it will help us reduce the cost of procurement, allowing us to mend the financial state of the corporation,” a senior official said.
Officials are hopeful procurement will be completed by the end of the calendar year. “We aim to put all these buses in operation by December,” the official said.
Fare reduction not possible: BMTC
The financial support being provided to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will help the corporation mend its financial woes. However, with no relief being provided through Motor Vehicle Tax exemption, reducing fares is going to be a tricky affair, say officials.
In the past one month, commuters have been demanding halving of fares for the popular bus service, which serves over 50 lakh persons every day.
But this has been ruled out by BMTC, which says that savings from bus procurement would be depleted with the financial settlements owed to staff.
“Although we will definitely examine the demand for reduction of fares, it seems highly unlikely. Employee salaries have to be paid and there are other expenses to be taken care of before fares can be reduced,” a senior official said.