[airbus]

I saw number of messages mentioning that BMTC buses are equipped with cameras to capture violations of Bus lane. If that truly happens, I hope compliance will be high.

[srishiva]

Given the way the ORR is with merges and exits, these lanes will not be efficient for other vehicles.

The ratio of BMTC to other vehicles is close to 1:500 or 1:1000 or more. Having a lane that is not used most of the time is waste of resource. Can we take these buses by parking our personal vehicles somewhere ? NO. So this is just to de-stress the BMTC drivers and not to help people move.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by srishiva

Given the way the ORR is with merges and exits, these lanes will not be efficient for other vehicles.

The ratio of BMTC to other vehicles is close to 1:500 or 1:1000 or more. Having a lane that is not used most of the time is waste of resource. Can we take these buses by parking our personal vehicles somewhere ? NO. So this is just to de-stress the BMTC drivers and not to help people move.

Looking at BMTC with respect to number of vehicles is not a right comparison. BMTC as per records moves close to 50 Lakh(5 Million) people a day. Which makes it the biggest people mover in the city by a long long way.

While a lot of concerns about BMTC and the bus lanes are valid, if the effort enables the city's biggest people mover to move faster, there can be a lot of productivity benefits to a large group of people which makes this experiment worth a try.

[KL01toKA03]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

While a lot of concerns about BMTC and the bus lanes are valid, if the effort enables the city's biggest people mover to move faster, there can be a lot of productivity benefits to a large group of people which makes this experiment worth a try.

Also, this will improve the fuel efficiency of the buses, freeing up some money for maintenance. That could ensure lesser breakdowns on the roads, thereby making more buses available to the public.

[am1m]

In a forum like ours, where the overwhelming majority of people posting, (almost all really) belong to the upper-middle class and higher in the country (as evidenced by Internet access and ablity to type/communicate in English), it is totally understandable that any move to restrict the already limited space we have for our private cars/office cabs will be met with hostility.

I'm one of the private car owners/daily users on this stretch of the ORR too (though I use my bike most of the time). And totally I understand that after the high road tax, shitty roads, weak enforcement of road rules, continuous construction, etc. etc, this bus lane move, especially given the historic nature of ineffective implementation of such things by successive inept governments (irrespective of political party) in Bangalore, is going to rankle.

But this is the way it has to happen. You improve public transport AND discourage private transport/increase the cost of private transport. They go hand-in-hand. That's been proved in public transport systems all over the world. The private car/cab model is unsustainable, especially for a continuously expanding city like Bangalore. And frankly, a lot of things we take for granted are because we've designed our cities around the car. A lot of things that are simply wrong are considered normal because of the way our lives revolve around the car. Look at the number of cars parked on the residential roads, the number cabs parked on the main roads, the people who park at random on footpaths and on the side of the road because they can't walk a bit to the shop or the restaurant, how difficult it is for cyclists, pedestrians, elderly people to get around. How much public space in the city is made over to transportation and associated infra.

All we need is a viable alternative. Those of us who are fed up of the daily stress, danger, pollution and just ridiculous waste of time that driving/riding in Bangalore is, will do what it takes and make the necessary adjustments (like finding parking to board the bus) to make it work for us.

(Had to add this, mods please merge)

A great public transport system will not clear up the traffic mess on the roads, no. What it will do will give those who choose to use it, an alternative to escape that mess. In that I always regret the missed opportunity with Bangalore auto rickshaws. Given the weather, the short commute distances, and narrow roads through densely populated areas, the Metro/bus+CNG auto option (for last mile connectivity) is really all Bangalore ever needed for a public transport solution. If only the thug auto drivers would work as they should.

[vinaydas]

Will a BMTC bus be fined if it steps out of the Bus lane ?
Say a bus is already waiting to pick up passengers and a bus in the back decides to overtake the bus and blocking traffic( Very common).

[shamanth]

Originally Posted by vinaydas

Will a BMTC bus be fined if it steps out of the Bus lane ?
Say a bus is already waiting to pick up passengers and a bus in the back decides to overtake the bus and blocking traffic( Very common).

No. Buses can go in other lane when lane is blocked, its same in all cities around the world. No restriction for Bus where to go, but it mostly follow Bus lane which is mostly empty.

Originally Posted by am1m

In a forum like ours, where the overwhelming majority of people posting, (almost all really) belong to the upper-middle class and higher in the country (as evidenced by Internet access and ablity to type/communicate in English), it is totally understandable that any move to restrict the already limited space we have for our private cars/office cabs will be met with hostility.

I'm one of the private car owners/daily users on this stretch of the ORR too (though I use my bike most of the time).

All we need is a viable alternative. Those of us who are fed up of the daily stress, danger, pollution and just ridiculous waste of time that driving/riding in Bangalore is, will do what it takes and make the necessary adjustments (like finding parking to board the bus) to make it work for us.

Agree with you fully, its just not worth driving in ORR even though i have two AT cars at home. The Stress and jam we get stuck is not worth it.

I have switched to company provided ORCA Volvo BMTC bus(Aka ORR bus) which stops 5 mins walk from my home, it take 30 min more time than driving or taking Quickride in evening, and almost same time in morning if i drive also.

Bus lane and later metro is only solution to ORR road. Hope this will fall in place when they start fines from Monday.

[Freebird82]

This is a daily occurence at the Leela Palace signal on Old Airport Road. Folks coming from Diamong District side who need to take a U turn at Manipal Hospital hog 2 out of 3 lanes. To add to the chaos, there are cars taking left turn coming from Jeevan Bima Nagar, vehicles slowing down to enter the BP bunk, pedestrians crossing whenever they can, Bikes/Autos/Tankers etc coming from Murugeshpalya side taking illegal U turns and it all just turns into a colossal mess for someone who just wants to go straight. This is despite being a signal for a major hospital which can anytime expect Ambulances trying to reach as quickly as possible.

Dont understand why the BTP cant station 3 cops permanently AT THE SIGNAL and ensure everybody follows rules. I regularly see them standing 150 mtrs down the road just to collect fines. The priorities are so messed up.

[paragsachania]

Talking about bus priority lane, here is what Deccan Herald has captured. Quite nicely sums up the practical problems that this halfbaked idea faces. You can even see a near collision at one point.

https://youtu.be/N_ByvMmTo2A

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Talking about bus priority lane, here is what Deccan Herald has captured. Quite nicely sums up the practical problems that this halfbaked idea faces. You can even see a near collision at one point...

I am surprised none of the brains behind this wonderful initiative have taken credit. Shouldn't we be seeing some flex banners and award / reward ceremonies? A few lecture circuits and junkets around the world at least. How about a few research papers - "How we stamped out traffic jams in Bengaluru, and silenced those pesky rants on TBHP". I am curious.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Shouldn't we be seeing some flex banners and award / reward ceremonies?

Leave that to BTP's Facebook Page. They love them (and their work) so much that they would post about it's success and make most of the crowd assume that this is an impeccable execution and they will soon do that. But makes me think who will do this first - BBMP or BTP and depending on whoever shares the success, the other will share this on their walls and twitter handles .

Did you notice the kind of problems people expressed in the video? It talks about everything that BHPians here have referred to in the last 2 weeks and few of them we can notice too - Like that Auto parked in front of the Bus or the Private Bus nearly breaking the bollard and exiting the lane or for that matter the Scooter fella who barely missed getting crushed under the wheels of the Bus.

[sridhu]

I have a basic question- when the ORR bridges were constructed, they opted for a split design so that the centre lanes can be dedicated bus lanes.

Now I see, at least at HSR Agara Flyover, the bus lane goes over the flyover.

So, what gives? Was the original plan abandoned for being too logical? Did they just forget about it?

How is the bus lane implementation near the army area between Domlur & MG Road on Old Airport Road?

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by sridhu

I have a basic question- when the ORR bridges were constructed, they opted for a split design so that the centre lanes can be dedicated bus lanes.

Now I see, at least at HSR Agara Flyover, the bus lane goes over the flyover.

So, what gives? Was the original plan abandoned for being too logical? Did they just forget about it?

Once that initial idea of bus lane flopped, (there was no way it could've worked), it was just left as it is. But then the Metro came as a saviour. Blue Metro line will take that space when it is constructed from Silk board to KR Puram

[srishiva]

They should have still used the centre lanes between flyovers for bus lanes. The buses go from silk board to KR Puram. No exits or entries. While other traffic does exits and entries.

In HSR, the bus stop is just before the flyover. It would have moves 100 metres beneath the flyover. Same everywhere else. Problems arise in the underpasses. It shows the stupidity and lack of common sense on so called planners. They could have planned bus lanes and skywalks where buses stop in the centre lanes. Skywalks were anyway required for people to cross over to other sides.

What happens to the skywalks when metro comes ? Are they going to bring them down ?

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by srishiva

They should have still used the centre lanes between flyovers for bus lanes. The buses go from silk board to KR Puram. No exits or entries. While other traffic does exits and entries.


What happens to the skywalks when metro comes ? Are they going to bring them down ?

Initially the bus stops were planned only at the junctions under the flyover. The mismanagement that happened was that they ended up making bus stops in between also especially at the tech parks. Once that happened there was no way to keep the right most lane as the bus lane. A case of an idea not through properly.

Skywalks as far as I have read have metro approval. So I assume the line will go above the skywalk.