Editor’s note: A press note from Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) informs that a unique bus festival, Janasnehi Bussigagi, is being organised across November and December 2014. Here are edited excerpts from the press note.
A large population of the city, more than 50 lakh people, travels by BMTC for their daily needs. These include women, senior citizens, school and college going children and youth, people with special needs, migrant workers, transgenders and many other urban communities. Many of these groups use buses regularly and yet experience safety, access and affordability issues.
‘Janasnehi Bussigagi—towards people friendly buses’
Towards making BMTC a more accessible, safe, equitable and affordable service for all, Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) is planning a bus festival titled “Janasnehi Bussigagi”. Through a series of events held in the city in the coming weeks, BBPV hopes to bring the bus back into the public imagination of the city and advocate for a Bengaluru designed around the bus as the primary mode of transport.
The right to mobility is essential to the realisation of other human rights like right to livelihood and right to education, and that buses must be seen as essential to give effect to these rights. As urban transport policies push us towards cars and create islands of isolation on roads, BBPV wants to reclaim buses as social spaces, places where we can create new cultures of social interaction.
As part of the festival, BBPV plans to hold various events and activities in November and December 2014 to trigger wider discussions on bus services and engage different urban community groups. These events and activities are broadly titled “Janasnehi Bussigagi—towards people friendly buses”. The purpose of holding these activities is to engage people’s voices and experiences with bus mobility. We also hope to facilitate design proposals for bus interiors, bus-shelters and services, put together in consultation with commuters.
| EVENT | VENUES AND DATES | CONTACT |
| PUBLIC VIDEO SCREENINGS, mobile audio/video screenings at various bus stops and public spaces | K R Market bus stand, Nov 15 Hebbal flyover, Nov 22 Majestic pedestrian subway, Dec 6 |
Vinay 9880595032 |
| DRESS YOUR BUS, a participative public bus design drill | R.B.A.N.M.S Ground, Nov 22 and 23 Majestic bus Station, Dec 1 |
Deepak 9739930107 |
| WORK.CITY.GENDER, a travelling mobile photo and media gallery featuring diverse stories of working women and their dependency on buses | Nov 28 and 29 |
Deepak 9739930107 |
| MAKKALA ADALAT, discussion led by children in a public space where they will share their experiences and needs with bus mobility | Vishranthi Nilayam, Nov 29 |
Chandra 9886779900 |
| NAMMA RASTE, NAMAGE!, a public initiative to reclaim Hebbal junction for pedestrians, people with disabilities, senior citizens and others | Hebbal Flyover, Nov 30 |
Manohar 9632223460 |
| ENABLING BUSES, a workshop with senior citizens and people with disabilities on their concerns with urban mobility | Vishranthi Nilayam, Nov 29 |
Manohar 9632223460 |
| INTHA BUS ANTHA BUS, a panel discussion on class-segregated bus services in Bangalore | Vishranthi Nilayam, Dec 13 |
Shaheen 93412 58123 |
| JANARA BUS PRANALIKE, a public release of a participative people’s manifesto on Urban Mobility | Dec 20 |
Vinay 9880595032 |
| BUSSAYANA, a compilation of stories, writing and graphic works by bus users and citizens | Deadline for submissions, Nov 25. Publication release, Dec 20 |
Thrimurthy 9964676400 |
We hope you will join us in this initiative and be a part of reimagining the bus as central to urban mobility and sustainable transport. Through these events and interactions with commuters, we hope to prepare a commuters’ manifesto in December. This manifesto will be presented to the State Transport Minister, so that the government will consider the proposals and make suitable allocations in the state budget of 2015-16.
We request the commuters and all residents of Bangalore to come and actively participate in the festival and make it a success.
Bus tales about Bengaluru
Travelling in Bangalore’s buses bring several emotions! You cry as you wait for a bus, feel some peace as you catch up on your sleep, joy as you occupy the window seat or anger at people who push or pinch. Write about them and more!
Bussayna aims to be the countrys first crowd-sourced book, which will contain short stories, poems and sketches made by bus commuters on their bus journeys in Bangalore. BBPV invites all bus commuters and BMTC employees to send in short stories, poems, cartoon strips! You can write in any Indian language or English. Stories should not exceed 500 words. Selected entries will then be published as a book and also uploaded into the internet.
Post the entries to: Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike, #122/4 Infantry Road, Next to Balaji Art Gallery, Bangalore-1 or email them to: bbpvedike@gmail.com.
About BBPV
Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV, Bengaluru Bus Commuters’ Forum) is a collective of various organisations and commuters formed in 2013. The Vedike has been campaigning for affordable fares, better BMTC services and addressing sexual harassment on BMTC buses.
The content has been provided by Vinay Sreenivasa on behalf of BBPV , and has been published with minimal edits under the Message Forward section, a space meant for non-profit public interest messages by individuals and organisations.