City’s 1st intra-layout bus service captures public fancy 

Though the service runs on a loss, the Directorate of Urban Land Transport will compensate BMTC for the initial 1.5 years, the manager added.
City’s 1st intra-layout bus service captures public fancy 
Updated on
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BENGALURU: It has been a year since the city’s first intra-layout bus service started criss-crossing HSR Layout. Launched with scepticism over its patronage in this relatively upscale locality, it has belied assumptions and has emerged as a big hit now. With the Metro Yellow Line (RV Road-Bommasandra) planned for launch in January next year, the last mile connectivity has already been established in the area, said residents. 

G T Prabhakar Reddy, BMTC Chief Traffic Manager (Operations), said, “We are operating 168 full trips daily with ten buses earmarked to be operated only within the area. An average of 4,000 residents use the bus daily, which covers 8.6 km per loop trip.  We were pleasantly surprised by the patronage for this feeder service. “ The service was launched on August 1, 2023. The circuitous route begins from Agara and has 18 stops.

It passes via Parangipalya, Mangammanapalya, Mc Donald’s and returns to Agara. It operates with a ten-minute frequency.  “The ticket is a flat Rs 10 regardless of whichever stop one alights. Women get to travel free,” Reddy said. “We plan to use them as feeder buses for Metro after operations are launched here.” 

Though the service runs on a loss, the Directorate of Urban Land Transport will compensate BMTC for the initial 1.5 years, the manager added. 

The aggressive and pro-active role played by two organisations in the area the HSR Citizen Forum and HSR Cyclists Group -- have been instrumental in goading residents to opt for public transport. 

Jayanthi Srikanth, Founder-Member of the forum, said, “We can safely state that we are now Metro-ready. The need for buses within the layout was the top demand spelt out by residents when we took part in a Sustainability Mobility Accord, a contest organised by DULT. Since the initial period is crucial, members of both groups spent the first 67 days on the ground going all out to ensure that residents make good use of the buses through numerous campaigns.” The carbon footprint we have reduced must be considerable, she added. 

Residents wowed by this service

“Feeder Bus is a real bliss for a resident like me living here for the last 24 years. I use the bus for all my daily routines like grocery shopping & banking to reach other parts of the city. I find the bus service very convenient, since the stop is near my home.  I don’t have to pay exorbitant auto charges, because of  it. I am using it to a very great extent”. – Shashi Rekha, Sector 3 Resident

 “I am a student, and this is my personal experience with the Feeder Bus. My mom & I, we use the feeder bus quite frequently to go to Agara and connect to the main bus routes. I highly recommend everyone uses the feeder bus as it connects to all the other main roads of HSR Layout. It is also eco-friendlier and more sustainable. The bus driver and conductor are super helpful, and are very kind. I do hope that the citizens of HSR Layout will continue to use the feeder buses” – Krish, Student of Greenwood High School, HSR Sector 3 resident.

“I use the feeder bus regularly. In fact, I shifted to HSR 2.5 years back. I was really waiting for this bus.  I am really happy with this convenience. It’s a very good initiative for the whole locality. The traffic jam also reduces very much. I take the bus from HSR Sector 7 to HSR Club, for my son’s cricket coaching.” -  Kavitha, Resident of HSR Sector 7.

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