Bangalore: Ride free, courtesy BMTC

The Hindu

Bangalore, 18 September 2010: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on Friday formally inaugurated its free coach service between City Railway Station and Kempe Gowda Bus Station by ceremonially flagging off two 30-seater buses with luggage carriers.

 

The free coach service — Courtesy Coach — is expected to benefit thousands of passengers criss-crossing between the railway station and the bus-stand carrying their luggage. A similar coach service between Yeshwanthpur Railway Station and Yeshwanthpur bus-stand was also formally inaugurated on the occasion.

 

Transport Minister R. Ashok, who flagged off the mini-buses at Kempe Gowda bus station, said passengers found it difficult to walk even the short distance of about half a km with their luggage. “Autorickshaws charge around Rs. 20 to drop the passengers along with the luggage.”

 

 

Though the service was in operation on a trial basis since June, Mr. Ashok said the coach service would now be made permanent. “The buses will ply every 10 minutes between the railway station and the bus-stand. More than 2,500 passengers are already using the service,” he said.

 

These specially configured mini-buses, with a seating capacity of 30 and a provision for luggage carriers, will operate between from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.

 

Mr. Ashok said the Transport Department had sought space in front of the railway station to park the buses. Transport Department officials were discussing with their Railway counterparts, he added.

 

The Minister said the BMTC authorities were planning to introduce a similar bus service from the Shivajinagar bus-stand to the Cantonment Railway Station.