[binand]

Originally Posted by shamanth

I guess, its time to privatize city bus services in Bangalore. [...] Let there be competition and lets see AC bus survives or not.

Privatisation without pricing and scheduling autonomy/self-governance wouldn't lead to competition. It would be only another way of generating bribes.

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by binand

Privatisation without pricing and scheduling autonomy/self-governance wouldn't lead to competition. It would be only another way of generating bribes.

Yes, Privatization not like Electricity boards in some states with monopoly, but like mobile service providers, multiple bus service providers. All govt need is giving away licenses.

[daretodream]

Traffic Alert
Road: Hosur Road (South bound)
Area: CMP Junction toward Forum Mall

In last 2 days, during return from Yeshwantpur to HSR , it took me >30 minutes to cross the < 2 KM section between CMP Junction to cross Adugodi signal.

There are around 5 lanes of vehicles until the Adugodi signal and lanes converged into a single lane after the signal as rest of the space is taken up for white-topping and heavy vehicles (bull-dozer for soil levelling).

I would take the Bannerghatta road->Dairy Circle -> Forum Route to rejoin Hosur Road.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by mazda4life

Disclaimer: I have worked on IT projects for KSRTC including the award winning depot link up application for data integration before I moved abroad and know what the vision that the chairmen had circa early 2000 and the team that they had built.

Good to know that. BTW, BMTC has a pile of data. They have said they do not have any internal expertise to analyze the data. They do not want to spend money & hire a firm who can do the analysis for them. If they make the data open any interested professional(s) can look at it. But they do not want to share it for free. So BMTC is unable to make a decision.

They claim all buses have GPS. But they are unable to inform people at bus-stops on the arriving buses.

Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com...w/67087829.cms

BTW, BMTC pays 40 lakhs every for Google? For what?

[sachinpk]

Originally Posted by mazda4life

I have worked on IT projects for KSRTC including the award winning depot link up application for data integration before I moved abroad and know what the vision that the chairmen had circa early 2000 and the team that they had built.

KSRTC to be frank would be one of the better managed Road Transport Corporations in India (or at least in South India). They were on the "computerisation" band wagon quite early on. KSRTC perhaps would also be the first RTC to try out the Volvo buses on long distance routes. And they would be operating the maximum Bangalore to out-of-state towns & cities routes.

My observation is that:-
1. Ka.SRTC operates the maximum number of inter-state routes, using a variety of buses (right from the Kempu bootha all the way to Volvos). The passenger have a large variety of bus modes to choose. Ka.SRTC was also the first to try out leasing luxury buses from private groups and operating it under Ka.SRTC label (Driver & bus comes from private party; conductor comes from Ka.SRTC). They were also the first to launch a scheme in which drivers & conductors are taught both the skills. The advantage is that they could run the bus with a crew of two (no spare drivers).
2. TN.STC operates a large fleet of buses, are running 24/7 connecting all major parts of TN. Their buses are how ever the simple variety, at a reasoanble cost. People who wish more luxury travel will have to check with private operators like KPN.
3. Ke.SRTC seems to be poorest of the lot. Inter-state connectivity is quite poor, considering that large number of Malayalis are spread across all South Indian states. Their fleets generally are the 1980s design, and they have also not been to use more luxury buses like Volvo, Mercedez etc.

Originally Posted by shamanth

Yes, Privatization not like Electricity boards in some states with monopoly, but like mobile service providers, multiple bus service providers. All govt need is giving away licenses.

At least considering the Bangalore-Kerala bus operations, I feel that it is better to allow private players in the inter-state long distance routes. At present the law only allows RTCs to run stage-coaches between states. This is a stupid law; as many of the RTCs are not able to cope up with the passenger demand. It is better to accept the reality and allow private players, but with a very stringent licensing/permit schemes. Currently what is happening is that there are private operators bye-passing/mis-interpreting the law and running their business. And they have also become arrogant since they know that the passengers do not have much choice.

Originally Posted by msdivy

They claim all buses have GPS. But they are unable to inform people at bus-stops on the arriving buses.
....
BTW, BMTC pays 40 lakhs every for Google? For what?

Have you used the latest BMTC App phone app? In the time frame Jul-2018 till around Feb-2019 I had used this app extensively. And I could quite easily identify buses which were about to land up at the bus stop I am standing at. Not all buses have GPS fixed, but at least in the route which I travelled (399-A, 328-H etc.) they had GPS devices. The app could show the vehicle position quite accurately. And this App relied on Google Maps to plot the bus position. The 40 lakhs p.a could be for this. Where BMTC kind of lost the game was maintaining the punctuality, and they alone cannot be blamed for it. But at least in less congested route their GPS technology and App worked quite well.

[arindambasu13]

Originally Posted by daretodream

I would take the Bannerghatta road->Dairy Circle -> Forum Route to rejoin Hosur Road.

There is a right turn at the Adugodi signal itself, which will facilitate exactly this. Take the right, join Bannerghatta Road, go straight on Bannerghatta till Dairy Circle, and then rejoin Hosur Road by taking a left at Dairy Circle. This way, one can avoid the portion of Hosur Road which is in a mess due to road reconstructions.

[vsrivatsa]

The toll on the Bangalore Elevated Tollway on Hosur has been increased to Rs.50 one way from the earlier rate of Rs.45 one-way from 01-July I believe. Had not noticed it as I use Fastag but checked when a colleague called this out.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vsrivatsa

Had not noticed it as I use Fastag but checked when a colleague called this out.

May be you missed noticing this as well where I had mentioned about it the day it appeared in print media.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

Have you used the latest BMTC App phone app?

Let me try out the app. My feedback was based on the TV displays which BMTC have installed in some TTMC. It shows the arrival time and bus does not arrive.

[black_rider]

What is causing jam at Benigannahalli right now?

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by black_rider

What is causing jam at Benigannahalli right now?

Unfortunately I took car to office yesterday and got stuck for half an hour near Bayappanahalli back gate and railway parallel road.



Saw today morning on old Madras road that they have started digging. Do not know if this is related to Metro work and caused jam yesterday.

[sridhu]

I came across this wonderful post in jalopnik about a user in the game Cities: Skyline who looks at why traffic jams occur and uses minimal means to clear them

Perhaps our own BTP & BBMP would benefit by setting up the Bangalore road system in all its glory and Silk Board/ KR Puram horrors and simulating the flow to see what effects their 'solutions' will have on traffic, really. Instead of building costly flyovers and then installing signals/ traffic police at the top to direct traffic flow, this seems to be a much better alternative.

Perhaps a few simple alterations and a very strict enforcement of rules (even in the form of bribes but with no exceptions) is the only way our city will become livable again.

BTW, in the game, roundabouts, which we so carelessly destroyed, seem to be the most effective at ensuring traffic does not get jammed!

In the comments section, there is this person's youtube channel recommended as a 'better' guy at fixing

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...x4xHleOsc6v-Rw

Also, the game is apparently quite addictive (not to my bent of mind.)

[wildsdi5530]

Originally Posted by sachinpk

The general pattern I have observed is that;

Thank you for this information. I've always looked for this info. I never know when to stop at signals and when to jump until someone comes behind and shouts at me. I've even asked official channels on twitter but with no response.

[adi_gt]

Originally Posted by sridhu

.
BTW, in the game, roundabouts, which we so carelessly destroyed, seem to be the most effective at ensuring traffic does not get jammed!

I slight differ on this point. I think you have not seen the roundabout in front of Lalbagh Parking Gate (while driving down from the Double road side). It's hopeless most of the time during peak hours. But fortunately these roundabouts seem to work pretty well in New Delhi (Lutyens zone). I can't really pinpoint- may be traffic is well managed, people drive sensibly due to fear. In Bangalore, people can create a jam by parking their trucks perpendicular to offload their payload.

[sansvk]

Since the closing of a section of Kamaraj Road between MG Road and Cubbon road, the traffic situation has worsened. My initial thought was it may not have much impact but the signals before and after especially at Manipal center is clogged in the evening. Making Cubbon and MG road as One ways could help.