BENGALURU: Citizens for Bengaluru, a citizen collective that came together for #SteelFlyoverBeda, is now campaigning for improving the public transport in the city.
After #ChukuBukuBeku, the group is now taking on improving the city bus service. Volunteers of Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), along with the members of Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, launched a city-wide survey of bus passengers at Shivajinagar bus stand on Wednesday. Later in the day, the group also conducted a door-to-door signature campaign against BBMP cutting 112 trees on Jayamahal Road. They plan to form a human chain from Fun World to Mekhri Circle on Jayamahal Road on Saturday to oppose the move.
Srinivas Alavilli, Co-ordinator, CfB, said, “The only real public transport in our city is the BMTC bus. It is hard to believe that barely 5,000 odd buses carry 50 lakh passengers daily. Compare that to 60 lakh cars and two-wheelers that carry rest of the traffic. BMTC is the lifeline of Bengaluru.”
The survey also revealed that a significant portion of the BMTC users are daily wage earners and minimum wage earners, who find the ticket prices beyond their reach. In fact, a security guard who works in a bus station, said, he prefers to cycle to work since he cannot afford to travel by bus.
Anand(27), a CCTV operator, expressed his frustration with the cost of a monthly bus pass (`1,050) since it is a significant portion of his income (`10,000).
In near future, the group will interact with the bus users, understand their concerns and bring it to the notice of BMTC, and the government.