Existing fleet sufficient, won't add more Volvos: BMTC

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), which is suffering big losses because of air-conditioned (Vajra) buses, has decided to not to add any more Volvos to its fleet. The BMTC runs 747 Vajra buses.

“We are satisfied with the current fleet of air-conditioned buses as it is sufficient. We may increase the number only if there is a demand,” said BMTC Managing Director V. Ponnuraj.

BMTC officials said that the ridership in ordinary buses is more than in Vajra buses, which are preferred for travelling to the airport. Former BMTC chairman Nagaraj Yadav told Deccan Chronicle that he rejected a proposal for 100 more Volvos as the demand was low. Adding more buses would make the BMTC suffer bigger losses, he said.

“I had never allowed monopoly of any company in the BMTC. When there was no need to increase the number of air-conditioned buses, why should I accept the proposal? They were making losses,” Mr Yadav said.

In the last budget, the BMTC had announced procuring over 3,000 buses, of which 2,000 are already on the road. “Once NGT gives its nod for the purchase of more number of diesel buses, 1,000 more will be added,” Mr Poonuraj said. Mr Yadav had also deferred a proposal to change the colour of BMTC buses from green to blue and white, since green represents the garden city and environment. However, another BMTC official said that the decision may come out by next week.