Bus karo! Just too many big ones on roads

With an average of 3 city buses added to the fleet every day, a new traffic nightmare is unfolding as experts fear much of the road space will soon be taken up by these giants

With an average of 3 city buses added to the fleet every day, a new traffic nightmare is unfolding as experts fear much of the road space will soon be taken up by these giants

About 1,500 private vehicles are added to the already overcrowded city roads every day. And now, on an average three BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) buses are being introduced daily, making experts fear these will occupy most of the available road space in a few years.

ROAD GRABBERS: Too many buses on narrow roads cause traffic to choke

The BMTC today has a fleet of 5,593 buses. It has decided to add 1,000 buses every year under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme.

The process of putting on the roads these additional buses has already begun in the city.

The 2012 prediction

If 1,000 buses are added every year, by 2012 the fleet will number over 8,000. About the same time, the Metro is also likely to be completed, and the space it will occupy is bound to make the city traffic even more chaotic.

Traffic expert Prof M N Sreehari says, "The Metro will be ready by 2012 and the investment the BMTC is making by adding 1,000 buses a year will go waste, as many people will opt to travel by the Metro. The BMTC will have to suffer big losses. To make up for the loss, it will have to increase the fares, which will be a burden on the lakhs of people who use the BMTC for their commute."

By 2012, Bangalore roads will be choked by BMTC buses and other vehicles may not have enough space left on roads, which clearly cannot be widened in proportion to the projected increase in traffic.

Bus accidents may go up

"At present, on some of the roads, like K G Road and Seshadri Road, one bus moves past every two seconds and if the fleet strength increases to 8,000 plus, then one will be able to spot a bus every second," says Sreehari. "Also, 60 per cent of Bangalore roads are narrow and not fit for mass transport vehicles like buses."

Discipline problems

When the number of BMTC buses increases, chances of accidents are also expected to go up. "If today one out of eight deaths in road accidents involves BMTC buses, just imagine what will happen if the number of buses increases to 8,000," says Sreehari. "When the number of buses increases, problems like haphazard parking, wrong overtaking, buses halting at places other than bus stops and letting passengers alight wherever they want to, will increase on the congested roads."

Use funds properly

Sreehari says instead of inviting more accidents, more deaths, more congestion and higher fares, the funds under JNNURM should be put to better use.

"I think the use of JNUNRM funds should undergo a serious review. There are several problems concerning transportation which can do with this money," says Sreehari. "The move to add buses to the fleet lacks vision."

Road Accident statistics
Overall mishaps in city
2005: 3,663 accidents; 460 deaths and 3,172 injured
2006: 3,394 accidents; 498 deaths and 3,247 injured
2007: 3,709 accidents; 499 deaths and 3489 injured
2008: 3,578 accidents, 461 deaths and 3,276 injured
2009 (till July): 4,545 accidents; 360 deaths, 3,126u00a0 people injured

Accidents involving Buses
2004-05: 456
2005-06: 467
2006-07: 446
2007-08: 578
2008-09: 637
2009 (till Sept): 267
Source: BMTC website