Meeting regarding BMTC

What would be the objective of bus day event - good to start with that.

1. Spread awareness about BMTC's reach to those who don't use PT?
2. Marketing new initiatives (Route improvements, Big10, Atal Sarige, Reduced cost for some passes) to PT users and those who don't use PT?
3. BMTC employees to know BMTC usage related issues commuters face?
4. Market for itself in general, publicity in papers, getting green credentials etc?
5. Reach out to non-PT users to find what will it take to get them to convert?
6. General PT promotion event (and not a BMTC thing as such)?

It will be good to be clear on what the objective would be. There could be more candidates, I have listed what readily comes to my mind.

Syed - getting all BMTC employees to use buses themselves (once a month etc) could go towards objective #3 above. But I don't think a Bus Day is the best means or event to work on objective #3. That would be a bit like programmers testing their own code.

I would think #5 would be the best objective for this Bus/PT day event.

Hi all,

I am a journalist working for Deccan Chronicle. I am extremely kicked wid ur ideas of gettign thngs forward in whatever issues. Please do let me know if i can be of any help. i m ready to write it for u all. My contact id is chetanabelagere@gmail.com or 94484 68686

thanks

chetana belagere

city editor,

Deccan Chronicle, Bangalore

That's all wonderful! But, I have been repeatedly asking if anyone can even get the BMTC to just as much as display the bus destination boards properly (This is how it is seen on most buses - leave aside the matter of 'bilingual boards'). When I raised the matter in '05 (my CCTF days), the answer was that they were converting to electronic display boards on all the buses, soon. Over 4 years later, over 50% of the buses continue to display such dismal boards, if the boards are displayed at all. The neglect of such basic essentials clearly shows the lack of customer orientation, very typical of the governmental type of approach.

And, all it will cost to have these remedied is a few thousands of rupees, at the most. And, perhaps that's exactly where the problem lies. The concentration is on large contracts involving hundreds of crores (need I mention why!?), and with JnNURM providing a happy route for it all now, why would anybody be interested in just a few peanuts?

Well, if people still refuse to see through it all, and continue to help perpetuate the BMTC monopoly, they are willy-nilly being party to the loot, while simultaneously contributing to the degradation of the quality of life of the citizens.
 

Instead of whining and sarcasm, lets suggest the alternatives, viable solutions and lend a helping hand to the Praja teams for changes to come

I agree, & you can count on my support.

Mr Murali,

I think you are making way too much of a issue of that nameboard sign photograph. Are all BMTC buses having nameboards in this way ? We do not think so.

And I think you have also been complaining excessively for bilingual boards & making it a big issue for nothing. Is it this way in all cities ? Mumbai's bus boards (incldg numerals) are only in marathi, for example, though the city is just as cosmopolitan. So, should an outsider go on ranting needlessly about it ?

I think if one repeatedly does this with a motive to build up a case for privatization, he is wrong & will be seen as biased, with his own private intersets, rather than for the welfare of all - & I believe that you are not one such. So, why not put a full-stop to it once & for all & support others in their efforts to improve BMTC as it is, or come up with some original thoughts on your own, instead of being stuck with theories of how well a Kochi type bus mafia can do wonders here ?

@Syedbhai

How can I ever think of accusing any of the PRAJA members of being party to any loot? It's such a pleasure to see such commitment from the members, particularly the youngsters. In fact, I cite their examples to my own children, and nephews and nieces. But, I'll say they are being 'naive' if they think that BMTC is going to change much without effective competition. The term 'willy-nilly' connotes just that, and nothing more.

The reality is we (including myself) slept for almost 50 years and didn't bothered to ask the powers to be why?

That's exactly the difference. I have been saying this from the 80's, and I can very clearly see that the vested interests are too well entrenched to allow change. It can happen only through external factors.

Suddenly we have woken up and now we are expecting miracles overnight. Isn't it?

I have not asked for any miracles. Contrary to the esoteric talks of google-based tracking systems etc that the BMTC official came up with at the last meeting, I am asking for just the basics. If they can't address even these, they have no business to be in business.


@Naveen

I think you are making way too much of a issue of that nameboard sign photograph. Are all BMTC buses having nameboards in this way ? We do not think so.

I am pointing to the total callousness here. All the boards may not be written upside down, but the whole casual approach to what I regard a most important aspect is indeed pathetic

And I think you have also been complaining excessively for bilingual boards & making it a big issue for nothing. Is it this way in all cities ? Mumbai's bus boards (incldg numerals) are only in marathi, for example, though the city is just as cosmopolitan. So, should an outsider go on ranting needlessly about it?

I am as much an insider as you are. And, I can very clearly see that there are very few areas we can agree on. This is on the top of the disagreement list.

I think if one repeatedly does this with a motive to build up a case for privatization, he is wrong & will be seen as biased, with his own private intersets, rather than for the welfare of all - & I believe that you are not one such.

While I'll choose to take it as a compliment, I have openly stated that I am interested in getting into the business of operating bus services. But, I see it as social entrepreneurship to liberate the country from the travails of government monopolies.

So, why not put a full-stop to it once & for all & support others in their efforts to improve BMTC as it is, or come up with some original thoughts on your own,

I had been thinking I was the originator of quite a few new lines of thought on the subject, like better bussing; different approach, etc. Anyway, what's the point coming up with new ideas when you are faced with stumbling blocks all the way?

instead of being stuck with theories of how well a Kochi type bus mafia can do wonders here?

Kochi mafia pales into insignificance compared to the BMTC mafia.

Just by observing bus-day or something like that is not going to help in a significant way.

I have also stated earlier the very basic problems, for which BMTC has to work together with BBMP, BDA, Traffic police or any other possible government entities and find a remedy. We cannot again and again site other examples worse than BMTC and be content about it. Why can't BMTC be best instead of better and create an example for others to follow. And I also say that I appreciate BMTC in many ways, but there is a lot to come.

Yes, It would still make sense that BMTC officials should be asked to commute a day in a month or so to see how buses are operating, what are the current problems, and why commuters actually face problems each day. They should get it in practical terms then only it can be solved.

For the other commuters who goes by private vehicles or cars, I don't think this bus-day or something like that can do much about it. For them to attract, just giving AC buses might not help fully. As I stated earlier also that BMTC buses are highly dis-respected things for a person travelling in private vehicles (there may be a few exceptions). This is not my view only, I keep hearing this from a many people around me at different places. So first thing BMTC should concentrate at their basic stuff, make themselves respectful. I know I have been telling the same things again and again, but I know that once this is done, you will see the commuters will get easily attracted.

Just think about it- You have designated bus stops with proper shelters. People are not running behind the buses and buses are also coming in queue to the bus-stop. Then the gate opens, people from the bus-stop directly step on the bus, bus goes ahead. Then the next bus comes and the process follows. At the signals, they will create a very good example by not violating traffic signals for others to follow. A very simple lane discipline by them will make others also to do the same as they are the biggest possible vehicles on the Bangalore roads commonly.

Once this kind of thing will be in place, I am sure definitely it will attract almost everyone.

Deepak

That's the reason I said that BMTC alone cannot do wonders but yes, they have to colloborate with other government entities. And I also agree that its not always the bigger vehicles's fault in case of accidents, our pedestrians are very rash also, they just want to cross road half the time being on the phone. That's also true that we generally don't respect other's right of way on the road (We block other vehicles way even though he has a green signal). That's is the problem with everyone,  but I see that Buses mostly do so, yes including private also. BMTC has to colloborate with traffic police so that at the designated bus stops there should be someone standing to police so that other private buses doesn't stop there. This has to be done. And I don't agree with the fact that we have very less staff in traffic police also. I want to cite a very interesting example about the traffic cops - At the very congested signals you rarely find 3-4 cops regulating the traffic except of the few cases when its a jam for a long time, but you see at the places where they have to fine people, there were always 3 strong policemen standing, one for stopping the innocent slow moving 2 wheelers, one for negotiating with the driver/rider, and one big-boss for final fine.

About BMTC what I suggested in my previous comment is not a major thing to be done, its just a matter of proper planning, colloboration and things will fall into place.

Naveen, I think we cannot risk around with small players. Already Bangalore has got enough number of rash drivers in terms of Indicas, the Tempo Travellers and Sumos. We are inviting one more problem here.

Better to be safe than sorry. Prevention is better than cure. Where is the cure for the rash driving Indicas, Tempo Travellers and Sumos ? We will add buses to this list like the DTC.Things in India easily go out of control and very difficult to bring in control, however you control.

I feel we are happy with whatever we have if we cannot get good corporate level players with proper practices and I think it takes years to take a shape even if they start now . I would rather welcome private players in say Metro or Monorail in terms of Public Transportation and not in Bus Transportation since the risk is less.

Murali Sir may say we are sleeping 50 years without asking, it has happened all over the world. Why is USA sleeping with Car Lobby? Sameway we are sleeping here with BMTC.

 Improvement on BMTC itself is better rather than the private operators. Things are happening, but, it is easy to criticize. It is not an easy game as said by armchair critics. When you challenge the armchair critics, they do not have any idea about the solution for the problem (I had challenged here on Praja, many times didn't get an answer, or some answer just to wipe the tears - not the right one). Private companies will endup the same thing and we will not have an IIM or IIT guy running the private bus show with new innovative things to do a magic.

This is what is my final stance!!!

@Naveen:

You said - "unless traffic volumes reduce & road conditions improve in the city"
But if we see the approach, its easily visible that the above line and this one "more and more citizens using public transport", either of them cannot stand in their singelity. These 2 are the cause and effect of each other. Work has to be done in both the efforts and one day we will achieve what we have been wishing about.
About the presentation I talked earlier, I am in process of compiling it, it got haulted due to some other things, will work on that soon and share it with praja folks.
And at the end, I would like to say one thing - May be I am asking too much from BMTC, but I will be more willingly to use public transport when I get that. And there must be many more around, they will not use public transport unless private commuting is affordable wrt both time and money.