BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is the most popular public transport service in the city after Namma Metro.
Every day, hundreds of thousands of people travel on these buses. To make commute easier, the BMTC has come up with a new service. It has introduced intra-locality feeder bus service in HSR Layout in Bengaluru last August. This is the first time such a service has been started in the state.
Initially, the intra-layout feeder buses were operating in seven sectors in HSR Layout round the clock, covering a distance of approximately 10 kilometers from Agara to HSR layout. These feeder buses initially didn’t receive great response from commuters, but of late, there has been receiving an overwhelming response with around 5,000 to 6,000 people traveling daily within a 10-kilometre radius in June and July. In just one month, a record 1,21,000 people have travelled on these feeder buses.
The BMTC operates 10 intra-layout feeder buses with 130 trips within and around HSR layout every day from 5 am to 10 pm. The ticket price is just Rs 10. These buses stop at 22 stops which make it convenient for people.
The HSR Layout has seven sectors and these buses help people travel from one sector to another. With over 3,000 startup companies and thousands of IT and BT employees, these buses are beneficial for them.
Garment workers in Somasundarapalya and Manganapalya also rely on the BMTC buses. Schoolchildren and people can now travel from one point to another for just Rs 10, which earlier cost Rs 100 by auto or taxi. Women can travel for free under the Shakti scheme.
Passengers said that they are now reaching home early after work and it saves precious time. “There is no waiting in traffic at Silk Board junction. The intra-layout buses help a lot”, many of them said.