If you didn’t convert to a bus commuter last month, here is another chance. BMTC has solicited citizen support and cooperation for March Bus Day on Thursday, 4th March 2010, after a moderately successful first time event on February 4th.
BMTC says they have taken into account feedback about February Bus Day and have made arrangements for a better experience for March Bus Day. They have added new routes and new corridors.
This time, BMTC is focusing on the following five corridors of the city, where buses will ply more frequently:
• Old Madras Road
• Banerghatta Road
• Old Airport Road
• Hosur Road
• Sarjapura Road.
Special shuttle services are to be run between 7.30 am – 11.30 am and 4.30 pm to 8.30 pm. The following are the planned services: (See map)
• Whitefield loop – ITPL feeder every 10 minutes
• Bagmane Tech Park – Silk Board circuit every 20 minutes.
• Electronic City loop
Click here for Vajra routes and Big 10 routes.
BMTC call centre 1800-425-1663. email: eval(decodeURIComponent(‘%64%6f%63%75%6d%65%6e%74%2e%77%72%69%74%65%28%27%3c%61%20%68%72%65%66%3d%5c%22%6d%61%69%6c%74%6f%3a%63%74%6d%6f%62%6d%74%63%40%67%6d%61%69%6c%2e%63%6f%6d%5c%22%3e%43%68%69%65%66%20%54%72%61%66%66%69%63%20%4d%61%6e%61%67%65%72%3c%5c%2f%61%3e%27%29%3b’))
Organisations and firms are also supporting and encouraging commuters to adopt public transportation. IT firm Wipro has come up with special initiatives for bus day including free passes. Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) has announced raffle prizes of 10 Vajra Monthly passes (Valid for April, 2010) for travel on March Bus Day.
A BMTC Special Pass Counter is functional at Ecospace Main Gate from February 25th till March 4th, Bus-Day from 10am to 5pm. BMTC Volvo Bus Passes will be issued in Ecospace Main Gate, Bellandur Outer Ring Road. The counter space was provided by ORRCA.
New route connects Marathahalli to Electronics City via Sarjapur road
BMTC introduced two new routes 340Q and 341H a few weeks back from St John’s Junction, Koramangala to Electronic City through Sarjapur Road. Based on feedback from commuters, and higher demand from Marathahalli side, the starting point has been changed for both the services from this week to Marathahalli.
• 341 H – Marathahalli to Electronics City via Haralur Road and return.
This is also helpful for Haralur road residents to reach Electronic City in a very short time.
• 340 Q – Marathahalli to Electronics City via Hosa Road (Jail Road) and return.
This route is especially useful for Wipro, Sarjapur Road employees and residents on Sarjapur Road to reach Electronics city.
Both these routes can be used by Whitefield residents who can reach Marathahalli with the new Whitefield loop buses.
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It would great to have the BMTC schedule available on Google Transit
http://www.google.com/transit
Can someone please explain how to access the official/current BMTC schedule for 340Q (or any bus service in general)? I am talking about soft-copy of the respective document. Such information will be very useful to actually USE the services which in turn will also improve the bus usage resulting in win-win for both commuters and BMTC.
For all bus routes, check:
http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/busroutes .
New routes recently introduced are not available yet. For 340Q I got hold of this: http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/docs/341H-340Q-bmtc-bus-route-schedule.pdf .
Hope it helps!
Of course that helps!
Thanks a lot for the prompt response and info.
I had the earlier schedule with me (Koramangala to E-City) and now I realize that the new schedule is unchanged (timings) except the change in route.
Using this schedule, I was trying to catch this bus and was frustrated after waiting for 45 plus minutes (the services are spaced 35-40 minutes apart) and so had to let go and use my personal vehicle. This happened couple of times including the March bus day. There were even rumors that BMTC canceled this service due to poor commuter response.
However, I was able to catch this bus from E-City yesterday and to E-City today but had to wait for 30-40 minutes on both occasions – effectively I caught the “next” bus rather than the intended one though I started my wait at least 5-10 minutes ahead of schedule.
The solution would be more frequent service but I guess BMTC will counter the suggestion with current “low” occupancy figures. It’s a bit like the chicken and egg dilemma.
May be tracking of buses through GPS system on BTIS should help. I am looking to use this service but due to non-availibility of bus during morning (8 AM) from E-City to Marthahalli route, I am still contrained to use personal vehicle.
The service 340-Q is no longer running through Kaikondrahalli/Kasavanahalli. Not sure if it is running at all (probably in a different route as now shown by BTIS website).
What a shame that existing routes are withdrawn when more should be added, especially in the context of all the hype about bus-days!!!
The route was temporarily stopped. After requests from the Ward 150 residents, the BMTC CTMO has issued a notification on May 10th to Depot 25 (HSR Layout) restart the services. However, staff shortage has delayed the restarting. A new depot is planned at Chika Nagamangala and that can also address the issue.
Thanks again Meera, for the prompt response/update!!!
Hoping things work out as expected. The service actually became a hit during peak times to the extent that it was often difficult to find a vacant seat and so it was shocking to see it “disappear” all of a sudden…
I have seen the service ply again, but in “ordinary” buses (no longer A/C Suvarna). Also, the frequency appears to have degraded further.
I meant the service 340Q. Sorry for missing that out in the earlier comment.