Bengaluru: It is final. BMTC buses from now on will sport blue and white colours, going back on an earlier order of painting them green, in line with the city’s Garden City tag.
Confirming this to Deccan Chronicle, BMTC Managing Director V. Ponnuraj said, “Barring Volvos, all other buses will be blue and white. Green was not considered, and even the new ones will have the uniform combination.”
Former BMTC president Nagaraj Yadav wanted the BMTC to adopt green. He said, “I chose green since it resonates with the theme of the city, Garden City, and the corporation's pro-environment measures. The green made our buses appealing. The MD was in favour of blue and white, and the earlier decision had to be looked at again.”
The 400 mini orange buses will continue to retain their colour.
The BMTC has got only 2,000 of the required 3,000 buses, and it is waiting for the approval of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to buy the remaining vehicles.
The transport corporation is also thinking of replacing bus passes with closed-loop smart cards. An official familiar with the issue said the passengers have to swipe the cards before getting into the buses and the passes will give the information about the routes on which the passes are being used. “Now, over 20,000 passes will be given to students. After that, we will replace other passes too with smart cards,” the official said.
