BMTC

Public transport service is likely to be affected in Bengaluru on September 2nd, in the wake of the strike called by the public transportation sector. KSRTC buses and autorickshaws will remain off road from 6 am to 6 pm on September 2nd. The nation-wide strike is called by Central trade unions urging the government to fulfill their various demands. The four public transportation companies in Karnataka- Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), have extended support to the bandh to place…

Ekroop Caur, MD of BMTC, receives the award from Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Pic: BMTC PRO All India State Road Transport Union (ASRTU) on the occasion of its Golden Jubilee ceremony, has awarded BMTC the ASRTU National Public Transport Excellence Award in the category, Cleanliness at Work Place for maintaining cleanliness at its depots and bus stands. The award consisting of Rs 5 lakhs in cash and a trophy was given away on August 13th at New Delhi during the ASRTU Golden Jubilee ceremony. Dr. Ekroop Caur, IAS, Managing Director of BMTC received the award from Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport…

What do you think of when you interact with one of the conductors on a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus? Do you view them merely as people who issue tickets on the bus? Many commuters who travel often by bus probably think of them as people they need to haggle with to get their change back; because of course, our conductors are change making machines! How many of us bother to look at these people as humans like us? Not many of us do - so believes Jayalakshmi, a BMTC bus conductor. A bus ride from Hessarghatta to Kalyanagar,…

I recently read that Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) may soon be taking over the bus stops from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).   When bus stops and shelters seem to have so much of space to spare for advertisements, why is it not mandatory for every bus shelter to have the route numbers of the buses that stop there?  Why is this essential information missing?   Also, there are so many places (eg in Gandhi Bazar in Basavanagudi) where it is not even clear where the bus stop is. Hunting for one on my way back from the Basavanagudi…

On February 7th, BMTC celebrated the 61st edition of Bus day at Yelahanka. Five BMTC buses have been equipped with alarms that can be used by women and children, in case they feel threatened or harassment while on the bus.  Two new Chakra services were also introduced to provide better connectivity within Yelahanka. The event was attended by Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, SR Vishwanth, MLA of Yelahanka, H Nabhiraja Jain, BMTC Chairman, VS Aradhya, Vice-Chairman of BMTC and Dr Ekroop Caur, the Managing Director of BMTC. Installation of alarms to make travel safer for women  Since a large number of…

In India, thousands of men and women are affected by sexual violence every year. In 2014, a report released by the United Nations Children’s Fund revealed that 77 percent of young girls between 15 and 19 years of age were affected by rape, forced sexual intercourse, and physical abuse by partners. In Bengaluru alone, there has been an alarming increase in the number of cases of child sexual assault.  DURGA (Dare to Understand behaviour, Respond appropriately and Guard ourselves Ably) is a unique citizen’s initiative to help young women and girls harness important life skills to deter crime. By creating…

After close to four years of doing Mallathahalli to Bellandur in Bengaluru, and enduring much travails with BMTC’s 500K, my commute changed, for the worse. The workplace shifted to Mahadevapura and there was a whole new paradigm of traffic jams and pile-ups to deal with. I put my money on the bus route 333T, a Volvo service which runs from the BDA complex in Nagarabhavi to ITPL, cutting through the heart of the city, via Okalipuram, Majestic, Old Airport Road and then Marathahalli Bridge. I would get down at the bridge and hitch my way towards Mahadevapura in the perennial…

Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal First up, let me state that I treat myself like a princess when it comes to commuting. While buses are probably the first choice of transport for most folks in the city, I am yet to make my peace with it. And I have tried, honestly! And at the end of each bus journey, I am put off buses for a couple of months. A couple of days back, a friend was talking about how much she enjoyed the me-time on her commute home from Jakkasandra to Malleswaram and how she manages to get a good amount…

If you live in Hoodi, and want to go to Varthur Kodi in Whitefield, you don't have to take out your car anymore. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Company's (BMTC) new Chakra service will connect entire Whitefield in efficient local loops, thereby reducing the traffic burden on road. The BMTC introduced new Chakra services for Whitefield, after months of engagement with the local residents. Midibuses (light weight minibuses) introduced on the new Chakra route 8 and 8A, will travel clockwise and anticlockwise respectively, between TTMC-ITPL-Varthur Kodi-Kundanahalli-TTMC. Chakra services being launched in Whitefield. Pic:Pavan Kulkarni The buses introduced on Chakra route 9 and…

Whitefield hits jackpot this Bus Day A new day will dawn in Whitefield on Monday, January 12th, 2015. It is likely to go down in history as a red letter day when it comes to mobility in Whitefield area. BMTC has offered Whitefield these gifts: Intra Whitefield Mini buses are being introduced reducing the need to take personal vehicles. Improved connectivity to other parts of Bangalore from Whitefield Wait, there is more. Click here to get complete details on any question you might have. Especially if you are new to using buses in the area. This has come about after…