Bengaluru to get mini AC buses for last-mile metro connectivity
Bengaluru will deploy 200 mini AC buses to connect residential areas within 5 km of metro stations, as announced by Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh.
The Karnataka government will deploy mini air-conditioned buses to improve last-mile connectivity to metro stations across Bengaluru. Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh announced the plan on Tuesday after a meeting with senior officials from the Transport Department, KSRTC and BMTC at Vidhana Soudha.
Under the Central government's PM E-DRIVE scheme, BMTC is set to receive 4,500 electric buses. Of these, the Minister directed that 200 mini AC buses be used to provide connectivity within a 5-km radius of every metro station. The buses will link residential areas in the city's outer reaches to metro stations, making daily commutes more convenient for residents.
In a related move, Suresh said BMTC will increase the number of AC buses provided to IT and BT companies in Bengaluru, aiming to reduce reliance on private vehicles by their employees. Officials have been asked to hold discussions with these companies to implement the plan.
The Minister also announced that the 'Namma BMTC Mobile App 2.0' will be made available to commercial passenger vehicles operating through platforms like Ola and Uber. This will allow passengers in such cabs to easily access information about BMTC buses running to their drop-off destinations.
Additionally, Suresh instructed officials to take measures to prevent revenue leakage in state-owned transport corporations, including BMTC, and gave clear directions to curb unnecessary expenditure.