With the Bengaluru Metro Phase 1 to be operational in a few days, the BMTC is now gearing up to link all Metro stations with its feeder service.
The transport body is set to deploy 100 more ‘Samparka’ buses soon.
Namma Metro's Phase 1 is expected to be operational by June 15 and the Bengaluru Metro rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) expects the number of commuters to go up by 15 lakh.
According to BMTC PRO, Nagaraj, there are 85 buses, which provide feeder service to Metro stations. “BMTC will deploy 100 more buses once the Phase 1 is complete to ensure that commuters are not inconvenienced,” he added.
BMTC began its feeder service when the Metro line between MG Road and Byappanahalli stations became operational in October 2011.
The buses G8, G9 and others connect parts of the city not linked by the Metro. BMTC, however, suffered losses, as it did not get the expected number of commuters.
When the Metro’s East-West corridor was completed in 2016, BMTC increased the number of feeder buses to 62.
In June, BMTC has planned to buy 500 midi buses — 350 under JnNurm scheme and 150 through its own funding.
“We have 100 buses now. We plan to obtain the rest in the months ahead and it will be based on the demand for these feeder buses," Nagaraj said.
The Samparka buses will connect the new stations on the North-South corridor, for better connectivity to those living in interior areas of the southern part of Bengaluru.
However, Nagaraj said that very few Metro stations have bus bays. “Picking up passengers from some stations will be difficult since stopping buses on the road leads to traffic jams,” he added.