Bengaluru Introduces New Feeder Buses From 20 Metro Stations To Increase First & Last Mile Connectivity

According to senior authorities, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) intend to improve first and last-mile connectivity by launching new buses from 15 to 20 metro stations.

How Will These New Buses In Bengaluru Benefit The Commuters? 

The new routes will be more focused and primarily serve regular metro passengers, in contrast to the current feeder buses. The bus services should be operational within a week. According to officials, the BMTC will probably run nine-metre-long midibuses on these routes. 

There is currently a dearth of reasonably priced first and last-mile connections at around two dozen of Bengaluru’s 68 metro stations. Commuters frequently use their own cars or rely on expensive taxi and auto services. Only 46 metro stations are served by the 208 feeder bus services that the BMTC runs. Low patronage is a result of many passengers’ complaints that these buses are neither regular nor convenient. Funding is another problem that adds to it. 

Many of these gaps are anticipated to be filled by the new program. Real-time tracking of current feeder buses has been implemented by BMTC. Additionally, it covers all service operating costs, with the exception of the HSR Layout service, for which Viability Gap Funding (VGF) has been provided by the Department of Urban Land Transport (DULT).

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Some Criteria That Will Be Evaluated Before The Buses Start

According to two officials with knowledge of the situation, the BMTC would assess several criteria before the services start, including commuter travel patterns, traffic flow, road conditions, proximity to metro stations, and route viability. 

According to officials, the feeder buses will operate at a flat fare in locations within 8–10 kilometres of metro stations between morning and evening peak hours. The objective is to increase the number of people using both metro and BMTC services, according to BMTC Managing Director Ramachandran R, who spoke to the Deccan Herald. 

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According to him, they are debating how to enhance last-mile connectivity via feeder buses, which will increase the use of public transit and help both BMTC and the metro.

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