BENGALURU: A day after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced to introduce 12 high corridor bus priority lanes, it drew a mixed response from citizens and experts. While some say that this too will die down like the earlier proposal, others opine that this is a start in the right direction to strengthen public transportation.
Urban expert R K Mishra said that though there will be some teething issues, the bus lanes will soon be a reality. “People need to give at least three to six months time for things to settle down. The first lane of 22km will be launched on November 15 connecting Byappanahalli to Central Silk Board via Outer Ring Road,” he said.
However, Pawan M, an urban planner, said there is a need for different things to be addressed at the same time like adequate infrastructure, technology and data. All need to come together to make bus lanes a success. Wednesday’s announcement by the CM was the first step in this direction, he added.
Urban planner V Ravichander said there is a need for a central authority under which all public transportation agencies should come. To make the plan a success, there is a need to have a central authority with all financial and authoritative powers. The authority should ensure that all agencies like BMTC and Metro work in tandem to ensure integrated mobility solution, he said.
However, Vinay Sreenivasa, member of Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike Sangha, demanded that there be a proper public consultation to know where the bus corridors are required. Public consultation is a must in all public projects, Sreenivasa said.
The plan should also be made public before it is implemented so that people can participate and give suggestions for improvement. Sreenivasa said that many organisations have been demanding improvement of public transport system and therefore consulting them is a move in the right direction. Involving citizens and experts is equally essential, he said.