BANGALORE: The state government has not kept its promise to improve the lowfare bus service that it had introduced for economically weaker sections in May 2009.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and Transport Minister R Ashok had launched Atal Sarige bus service to mark the Bharatiya Janata Party government's one year in the state. The fares of the buses are half of the ordinary fare. These buses provide connectivity to areas populated by economically weaker sections of the society.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) had introduced 25 Atal Sarige buses in 2009. The plans were to add more buses and more routes. At the launch of the service, the chief minister had promised that the scope of the service would be expanded at the second anniversary of the government. However, no action followed that promise. Neither any new bus nor any new route has been added.
BMTC Managing Director Syed Zameer Pasha told Express that the proposal to expand the scope of service was still in discussion as there had been significant increase in price of diesel as well as labour cost. Further, he said the bus service was a part of the BMTC's corporate social responsibility. He said as the finances were not supported by the government, they had to work out a feasible action plan. A BMTC official said till now there had been no communication regarding the matter from the state.
The buses are in a bad condition. A few seats have become totally unusable. Further, the service is erratic and unreliable.
Some of the routes on which Atal Sarige was introduced are:
Avalahalli BDA LayoutBanashankari bus stand, SrinagarRamakrishna Ashram, GangondanahalliSirsi Circle. The fare for the route is `4.