Double the fun soon on Bangalore roads

BANGALORE: Remember the double-decker buses, which dotted Bangalore City roads in the 80s? Well, don’t be too surprised to see them on the roads again. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is planning to undertake a feasibility study for reintroducing the buses in the city.Speaking about the project to Express, BMTC managing director K R Srinivasa said: “I fondly remember travelling by double-decker buses from Shivaji Nagar to City Market during my college days. It was a wonderful experience. I will ask officials to study and prepare a feasibility report at the earliest to reintroduce double-decker buses in the garden city.”Older Bangaloreans remember growing up travelling on the red-coloured buses for many years. But now, these buses are a part of history. One such bus is even kept on display in a museum. The buses were gradually phased out from City roads. This despite the buses surviving and plying in other metropolitan cities like Mumbai in the country. According to Srinivasa, there are two double-decker buses plying as tourist buses in the city. But, these buses encounter problems such as overhanging branches on avenue roads or  flyovers and subways with insufficient height to allow the buses to pass through.“The KSRTC does not mind reintroducing them in the city provided technical heads of the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) comes out with a feasibility report. More importantly the buses with BS4 norms should be available” said KSRTC Managing Director Gaurav Gupta. “We need to have a clear corridor to ply these buses. We also need to consider the height of the vehicles and prune branches,” he  adds. He is aware of the advantages of the plying these buses, as it will help decongest traffic on arterial roads. “One double-decker bus will carry 70-80 commuters at a time. It also helps in saving precious fuel as well as manpower. Unfortunately, production of these buses in India was stopped long ago but though some other countries continue to produce it, he adds, referring to the popular buses in London.  Srinivasa says that foreign companies do have latest models and Indian companies will be asked whether they are ready to manufacture the buses while adhering to BS4 norms. “An appropriate decision will be taken after the feasibility report is submitted and examined,” he says.