BMTC Bus Yatra a success: 22 km in 15 minutes at 9.30 am!

Bengaluru: The NimbusExpress Bus Yatra, to promote greater use of the Bus Priority Lane along the Outer Ring Road, a success on Wednesday as a number of volunteers took the BMTC bus from Silk Board and Marathahalli and reached their destination in 15 minutes, despite the morning peak hour traffic.

The campaign was organised by the Citizens For Bengaluru (CfB), Bus Prayanikara Vedike, Whitefield Rising and Bellandur Jothege and was supported by government officials.

The Yatra started at 9.30 am from Silk Board and Marathahalli with the slogan" left line bus line".

Activist Tara Krishnaswamy told Deccan Chronicle, “It was a success as many volunteers took part in it. We all gathered at one place at Eco Space and travelled in a BMTC bus and reached the spot in 15 minutes. The objectives of this bus Yatra were to raise awareness and encourage compliance so that it becomes a habit. It then can be a model for adoption across the city.”

A large number of volunteers and techies held placards urging people to leave their vehicles behind and catch buses.

It has been nearly a month since the bus priority lane opened along the 22-km-long stretch on the Outer Ring Road. The volunteers claimed that bus lane is Bengaluru’s fight back against traffic, especially on a corridor notorious for traffic jams, long delays and terrible pollution that affects the health, morale and productivity of employees along the IT corridor. “We claim that the dedicated lane project must be encouraged by all of us and adopted by commuters who travel on this segment daily. We were happy that many government officials also supported us and we hope that this will be spread to other parts of Bengaluru." Ms Krishnaswamy said. Buses carry a lot more people (70 at a time) and deserve more access to the road space. Each bus takes up the space of three cars but carries the capacity of 20 cars.

Buses are the best available option to move more people, volunteers said.

The Yatra was held to raise awareness about what the government can still do to improve the Bus Priority Lane project and demand the provision of signals, last-mile connectivity and solutions for the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and two-wheelers.