Bengaluru: If you have recently checked Twitter, you would have seen a poll by BMTC seeking commuters’ opinion on Bus Priority Lane. Nearly 63 per cent have voted for ‘urgent necessity’ and thankfully the transport operator has decided go beyond eliciting the views of public.
Elaborating on the plan, BMTC Managing Director Ekroop Caur said, “We want a dedicated lane for buses as they carry the most number of people. BMTC buses can move faster. The rest of the traffic will also flow easily on the adjoining lanes.”
Caur said that ideally the lane would be single and to the left. “Depending on the width of the carriageway, there would be a second overtaking lane for other buses which do not need to stop at a particular bus stop,” she added.
Along with BMTC, Citizens for Bengaluru also think that Bus Priority lane is a win-win idea. It would reduce congestion, encourage people to take fast moving public transport and reduce pollution.
“We have proposed a three-month Bus Bhagya pilot to BMTC and Traffic Police. The experiment will involve Bus Priority Lanes and fares would also be reduced by 50 per cent. It has to be on multiple roads and not just one. If bus becomes faster than car, people will use it,” said Srinivas Alavilli, member of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB).
