Anithasunil,

Nice suggestion. Let us bring out more details and clarity. Could you pls prepare a it detailed report on this including a problem statement, ground realities and the solution that will mitigate/solve the problem? Maps and some visuals would certainly add to the clarity.

Srivathsava, let us plan on taking up this with BMTC in your next meeting with BMTC.

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 Hi,

Though the road seems to be a two lane, literally it is not. This road lies in the country side and Container traffic towards Hosur uses this route. If these container haulers breaks down in the midst... is there is any alternative path? Whether this stretch is optimum for low floor buses? BMTC is already running 328series 399series 600 series here. One or two more routes (Sarjapura Road to ITPL) may be added. But i doubt for low floor buses.

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I am not sure about low floor buses. But BMTC has buses on all parts of this route. Big10 till Dommasandra, and 600 and 328 from Dommasandra to ITPL/Hoodi.

Will work over the weekend, on presenting this in a better way.

In the meanwhile, Will watch this space for other comments as well.

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Check the attachment for suggested routes on google map. I hope the maps are clear enough!

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Now, supposing the BMTC does accept the suggestion, and provides such a service, what happens on the return run?

Of course, the bus can't remain parked the whole day near the destination IT cluster, waiting for the return journey in the evening.

What actually happens is the bus ending up making an empty run, back to its depot, before resuming its regular schedules (Every working day, between 9.45 AM and 10.15AM, you'll find at least 5 empty Pushpak buses going in a procession into the city, on the Old Airport road, presumably from the IT cluster in the Whitefield area). And, like-wise in the evening, but with the empty runs happening first.

When some of the IT companies engage the BMTC buses for their exclusive PHS services, I expect they are paying BMTC for the up and down runs, both in the mornings and evenings. This may be good business for BMTC, but it's at the cost of the general public (check this), and consequently, not an acceptable practice for a government-owned service provider.

The best option for the interested folks would be to collectively engage (to get over the contract/ stage carriage issue) Sri Sathya Sai Transports, or some private operator like that. And, for a solution in the long term, perhaps join this campaign.
 

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@Anithasunil,

Thanks for posting the maps and detailed routes information. I have couple of questions.

A) Suggestion for new Alternate route to 501K

As you had mentioned, there are already routes running on that routeBig10-G3 till Dommasandra, and 600, 328 etc from Dommasandra to ITPL), I think you are suggesting for a direct bus. How does a direct us helps here? Any issues with frequency, connectivity/changeover?

B) Altering 500DB route

Instead of changing the existing route, wouldn't be nice to add one more route running on the whole whitefield rd instead? I think  this along with the your suggested local loop around ITPL would be a better option.

One suggestion to you is, sit with a map and put all the routes on the map that are currently run. That would give a better idea onto what is missing here.

-Syed

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I am not asking for new services on this route. There are 500k's plying on the outer ring road, at a frequency of less than 5 minutes along the Outer Ring Road. Conidering that atleast 50% of the people using this route is from the 'IT Cluster', what I am saying is that we can re-route a few of these routes along the suggested route.

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A new route along whitefield road, instead of altering 500DB would be the best.

My suggestion was the most conservative one, assuming that resources dedicated cannot be increased. 

As for the direct route from Sarjapura Signal to ITPL via Varthur, For somebody who travels to ITPL from silkboard, has 2 change overs as of now. 

Silkboard->Agara/Sarjapura Signal (any of the 500s),  Agara/Sarjapura Signal -> Dommasandra (342 or G3), Dommasandra -> ITPL (328,600 etc). 

The change overs add a 20-30 minutes to the commute time. Considering that time loss, 500k turns out to be better.

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BMTC is targetting ORR companies from Iblur to Marathalli + ITPL with 500 series buses. I daily take 500K. While travelling towards ITPL, buses gets crowded from BTM and become little less crowded by the time we reach Marathalli. Lot of people get down in the SEZ stretch b/n Iblur and Marathalli.

We could have 500NA which runs between Silkboard to ITPL via this route. If road is not good enough, then probably BMTC should introduce something like Suvarna/Pushpak.

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Your thoughts seem to be on the right path Anithasunil. On the key corridors (Big10 radial routes - G, big and small circles - K), there should be benefits to running express services during commute hours. Take an express bus to nearest stop, then take a "local" service to go to your exact bus stand - this could speed things up.

Think more - like

• Measures to further speed up express services (free pass via left lane at signals).
• Better discount on monthly passes for express services
• single ticket to change from express service to local service

And people may start using buses more and more (because they will see the bus moving faster than their personal vehicles).

I would say join this onto the "Bus priority" concept (we are about to start a project to push for it), and let us take the express or limited stop concept to BMTC along with other things.

Bit delayed, but here it is - welcome to Praja.

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Anithasunil - your observations about routes around ITPL & suggestions are great & I feel they should be brought to the notice of BMTC for possible route changes.

The proposal for deviation of some 500K series buses being only for the interim period of flyover construction, no new route is really necessary.

Since commuting time is at a premium for all during peak hours, BMTC can perhaps be requested to deviate some of the 500K variants to take the route proposed to save time (only during peak hours), subject to feasibility - especially since there are possibly numerous obstacles for low floor buses, as detailed in the attachment.

One thing though - if the route distances are increased (by an estd 7km), the fares might also be increased with additional fare stages ! This aside, the route catchment areas & disembark points (between Iblur & ITPL) will be ignored, but this should pose no problems since there are many other routes that service the area.

People will thus have options to either choose "express" (via Dommasandra) or "regular" buses (via Marathalli) during peak hours.

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@vasnath, Anithasunil,

Since you 2 are actual commuters in the ITPL area, why don't you help the Praja's BPL efforts for the ITPL vicinity. lets look at comprehensively at all routes. For a beginning:

1. Let us collect the info on all the current BMTC bus routes plying out of ITPL - All routes Volvo, Black Board, Red Baord, Suvarnas,Psuhpacks etc.
2. Evaluate the actual needs
3. Evaluate where Bus Priority Lanes can be easily implemented
4. List the gaps
5. Make comprehensive suggestions

If we can pull all this information we can certainly out together a nice report and take it BMTC for further action.If you guys could provide me the data, I can prepare the draft report.

Let me know this is something we could do.

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I can help you. But, I am not sure I understand the funda of BRT completely. I can help with information such as road-scape, and major bottlenecks.

Let me go through other blogs on BRT to understand the funda before jumping in. 

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 Syed, there are too many types of buses. I will list out in detail.

Out of my mind,

Volvo via Airport Road:

335E, 333P, 333T

Volvo via Outer Ring Road:

500K - Vijaynagar to ITPL on ORR via Kattriguppe, Banashankari, Silkboard, Belandur, Iblur, Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospital

500KB - Rajarajeshwarinagar to ITPL on ORR via Kattriguppe, Banashankari, Silkboard, Belandur, Iblur.

500 C - Banashankari to ITPL via Silkboard, Belandur, Iblur, Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospital

500 NA - Silboard to ITPL via Belandur, Iblur, MarathalliVartur, Satyasai Hospital

500 KM - Kalyani Magnum (near Bannerghatta Road) to ITPL via East End on ORR, Silkboard,Belandur, Iblur, Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospital

500 BM - Brigade Millenium (J P Nagar)  to ITPL via East End on ORR, Silkboard,Belandur, Iblur, Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospital

500 P - Chikkalasandra (Padmanabhanagar) to ITPL via DG Petrol Bunk, Banashankari, Silkboard, Belandur, Iblur.Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospita

500 KR - Kengeri to ITPL via Uttarahalli, Padmanabhanagar,DG Petrol Bunk, Banashankari, Silkboard, Belandur, Iblur.

 505 - Electronic City to ITPL.

500 DB - Hebbal to ITPL via KR Puram, Marathalli,Vartur, Satyasai Hospital

500C is having the highest frequency.

Apart from this, we have 500D from Silkboard to Hebbal and 500 A from Silkboard to Hebbal running on ORR. People change to WFS at Marathalli.

 Major bottleneck for ITPL bound buses via ORR is BTM Layout between Jayadeva and Silkboard. It takes nearly 20-30 minutes to cross this 2.5 kms. Dedicated lane in this stretch is absolute necessity which is a challenge to build due to 2+2 lanes without service lanes.

Between Silkboard and Hebbal, flyovers are getting built. Once that is done, most of the bottlenecks between Silkboard to Marathalli for ITPL buses should be eliminated. We need to get a bus lane so that cars do not hinder the movement of buses and also speed of ordinary buses should be increased to meet the speeds of Volvos.

Also too many stops between Silkboard and  Marathalli in front of SEZ companies delays a lot. We need something like a shuttle running between Silkboard and Marathalli with other buses running non-stop, it would speed up and on par with private cars. It will be even faster with priority lanes.

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 Ordinary services/suvarna services

There is absoultely no difference between the 2 now that the suvarnas have got the ordinary fares-the following ordinaries go out of ITPL

304,306,319series ply to Central bus stands via Old madras road

502 and MBS-24 ply via ring road to Banashankari,nayandahalli-502 goes to Kengeri satellite town and MBS-24 to Rajarajeshwari nagar

500F runs via hope farm onto ring road up to Silk board

MBS-17 runs via Old madras road to Nagarbhavi

335H runs upto HAL

328B and 328H come from hosakote pass via Kadugodi towards Varthoor and Sarjapura. 328B goes upto Sarjapur and 328H up to Attibelle. From Kadugodi 319 series,500F,502,MBS-24 go to ITPL

@ vasanth:

500KR starts from rajarajeshwari nagar BEMl

Volvo 500KC: Nagarbhavi to ITPL

Volvo 411L: Shantinagar-Koramangla water tank-Domlur-ITPL

Volvo 500KS: MCTC(Satellite) to ITPL

Volvo BIAS-6: Kadugodi to BIAL

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 What actually happens is the bus ending up making an empty run, back to its depot, before resuming its regular schedules.

It is okay for public transport to have some extra capacity when single occupant cars going around. But I am not in favor of BMTC leasing out buses at peak hours without providing alternate arrangements to general public. The non-a/c buses coming from ITPL are very useful for people taking bus from Tin factory and KR puram railway station.

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 Dedicated lane in this stretch is absolute necessity which is a challenge to build due to 2+2 lanes without service lanes.

Elevate & double deck the entire stretch. Buses can use the upper deck. Steel flyovers are for what use?

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A Metro route is planned from RV rd terminal to EC via Jayadeva & Silkboard. Hence, BRT may not be required.

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