Project wiki to capture project team's thoughts, can structure this for the eventual report.
General Strategy
The Target Commuters
There are two types of commuters to target and please
-
Last Mile - Provide local shuttles for first/last mile connection to Metro commuters. Home to station, station to office, in cases where Home or Office may be within 5-6 KM radius of the station. Ex:
- SV Road station to Jeevan Bima Nagar
- MG Road station to Lavelle Road
-
Direct Trunk Transfer - Make Metro Ride a part of a larger route for a trunk commuter. Ex:
- Old Madras Road Big-10, get off at CMH Road, continue to MG Road station
-
Trunk Connect (not sure yet if commuters will make a Bus change, given the sad state of Bus transfer situation, unlikely)
- Ex: Biyappanahalli to Old Airport Road to connect Big-10 G1.
Focus, avoid spread
- Don't please everyone. Pick 2 or 3 route directions and serve them so well that people feel ashamed when not taking the Feeder. Ex: 1 bus every 5 minutes on Jeevan Bima Nagar Main Road/ 80 feet road towards SV Road station is better than 1 bus every 30 minutes on any main road in Indiranagar / HAL Area
- Target select trunk combinations. Ex: Reach-1 (open right now) to Big-10 on Old Madras Road
- Strictly time express feeders to sizable Job Areas. Ex: Biyappanahalli to Bagmane, 8.30, 9, 9.30 am only, 5.30, 6. 6.30pm only.
Information Display - Coming from Bus, onwards on Metro
- Clear display inside the Feeder Bus showing all Metro stations it touches. If not a fixed display, a Metro connect information booklet
- For the one or two Metro stations touched by this Bus, also list other regular BMTC services that are available at that Metro station.
- Metro Ticket cost information inside the Bus, so that those who are new (there will always be new riders) can plan exact change, or decide about card or ticket.
- Dynamic Display right outside station showing next train timings in both directions. This avoids some jumping off the Bus and needless rush towards the Platforms
Information Display - Coming from Metro, onwards on the Bus
- Clear Display, right at the platform, listing areas connected to this station by Public Transit. A map marking areas, along with names of areas
- Regular signs, every 30-50 meters along the exit walk showing "Bus Stand here"
- Right before the station exit, a list of top 5 Feeders and Trunk services available at this Bus Stand.
Analysis - Biyappanahalli
Current State
What is planned
Prescriptions
Analysis - ?
[more - technology, route suggestion for the three key stations on Reach 1]
Forward this Project Wiki
Comments
Bengalureans go purple with Namma Metro : 1 Lakh crossed
Curious commuters continued to throng South-India’s first underground metro station on the second day of the commercial operations, taking the number of riders to more than 1 lakh on Sunday. In just two days, the purple line saw almost 2.5 lakh footfalls, generating revenue of more than Rs 70 lakh. By 10 pm, more than 1.25 lakh people had tried the purple line metro.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is expecting huge ridership on Monday, too, as Chinnaswamy Stadium will host the IPL match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders at 8 pm. The BMRCL will extend timings from 10 pm to 12 pm.
More feeder buses
Given the high demand for feeder buses in Bengaluru East, a BMRCL official said the BMTC has agreed to deploy feeder buses near Swami Vivekananda metro station. “Instead of Baiyappanahalli, SV Road was chosen due to the availability of spacious bus bay. This is going to help many to switch over to public transport such as metro and BMTC. This was the demand of techies who work in the nearby localities. Metro bikes will also be operational in a week,” he said.
Service extended for IPL match
On account of the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders to be played at Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday, the BMRCL will extend metro operations on both stretches (Purple and Green lines) up to 12.30 am on Tuesday.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/543864/bengalureans-go-purple-namma-metro.html
Hype created for METRO and same time BMTC and SUburban Rail carrying number of people in Bangalore tells how big gap exists for METRO to catch up with its limited carrying capacity.
inevitable
Namma Metro aimed to reduce vehicular traffic, but the whole purpose appears to be defeated with Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) no-show with its feeder services for that last-mile connectivity for train commuters.
- - - Giving the example of Delhi Metro, which itself runs feeder services for commuters, officials said though the Metro feeder service there is not generating enough revenue, they are able to get added revenue by selling more train tickets. BMRC MD N Sivasailam said: '' We will take up the matter with BMTC and if they find it difficult, then BMRC, in accordance with the project mandate, will definitely explore other feasible options. Presently, the project mandate for providing feeder bus services is vested with BMTC by the state government , since they are experienced in the business. There is, however, no formal communication from them so far,'' he said.
For the full report in the ToI, click here
There doesn't appear much of an option for BMRCL other than to follow the Delhi Metro example (check my post of 25/11/11 above), simultaneously ending the BMTC's monopoly, and thereby also paving the way even for PRAJA Saarige' (check this) in the overall interest of the public (check this)
Metro Feeder Bus Service extermely poor at night
One day, I waited in the MG Road bus stop to go to Yelahanka (by G-9). The time was approx 9:30 pm, which cannot be considered late in a city like Bengaluru. However, I couldnt find even a single feeder bus operating. Worse was that on that day, there was an IPL match in Bengaluru. I wondered, if general public is put to such hardship, what will be the plight of cricket fans who have come to watch the match.
finally metro feeder works..
..but not like what it is supposed to!
The article in the link explains what is working in the name of feeder service and how it is being used currently..
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/255967/convenient-option-many.html
I suggest opening up of
I suggest opening up of one-way in 80-feet road Indira Nagar towards Tippasandra (its utility is almost over). This will allow more utilization of SV Road station. Those who want to travel by Metro and want parking space can park around CMH road (crosses) also. When buses are not there, may be we should try suggestions for cars :). CMH road station is also a good transit point for 201, 314 etc. All the buses from MG road are following exactly same route as Metro, again some could be diverted through 100 feet road, 80 feet road. Bus through Suranjan Das Road was a necessity even before the Metro. The feeders from Bypenahalli to Hoskote and ITPL are not needed. Those were the buses running on OMR even before. Kammanahalli, Frazer town are almost equidistant from Bypenahalli and MG road. The MBS 8 in that route has been made almost unusable by change in route. There could be a bus through Wheeler road flyover to MG road.
People have been putting great efforts to travel by the Metro, sad to see BMTC is not supporting them. Both the connectivity to individual stations and then changed plan to connect only MG Road and Bypenahalli are good. They should have run these at least 6 months on time. BMRC needs to prove the need and viability of the Metro because they need support for further investments as a partly private organization. I hope they will be successful more than us.
time for a PIL
BMTC's lackadaisical operation of feeder services are going to become BMRC's Achilles heel, if they already are not. Anticipating this well in advance, BMRC MD Mr Sivasailam had indeed approached the government for taking on the feeder services. But, fearing that this would lead to the end of its monopoly, and the huge vested interests it serves, the politicos concerned, would not let go.
There is definitely a case for PRAJA-RAAG joining forces with BMRC, the Karnataka Bus Operators Federation (check this), as well as many others interested, in pursuing a PIL in the matter.
What about BMRC taking over Metro Feeder Services?
BMTC will not be interested in running a service if it does not touch KBS/KRM/ShivajiNagar. They will not try another route or agree any other route is profitable. For them a route becomes profitable when 100+ people travell in a bus with a seating capacity of 40-50. If metro feeders are run by BMTC it is going to die slowly similar to the HOHO. I beleive the earlier short distance MFs was in right direction, the now functional long distance routes are just serving some areas under served by them earlier. Who will get into a MF @ silkboard and travell all the way to trinity circle to catch a metro with a route length of 7kms?
Who knows, this may be the starting point for opening up the highly regulated/controlled city bus service.
Ramesh
Last straw
.so think that is the end of MF story for me..guess I will need to get back riding/driving to my office instead of taking the metro!
If they can lose a dedicated user like you who wanted to make it work, i guess they are going to be hard pressed to attract casual users. Metro is trying hard to become a white elephant.
BEML gate is only 2 km/10 min away & the 2 buses at 8:15 did not turn up till 10:50? What a hoax. I would have thought an organization like BMTC which is so profit motivated would have better work ethics & committment to the business, but looks like breakfast after shift has started is more important than ferrying commuters to work. Must speak volumes of how productivity is being managed.
MF dying slowly
Was sceptical, as I hopped on the train at MG road today, of getting a feeder to my work place..but anyways got in..there were hardly 20 ppl in the whole train at 10:50 AM today..about 10 of them tourist croud..got to BYP on time..
The now familiar BMTC TC was sitting/resting there on one corner..asked him about the MF to Bagmane..he smiled at me and showed his trip sheet..
He said two busses on that route left at 8:15 and have not come back yet..he had no clue where they were!
There was an MF 7 standing at the gates and he asked me to ask the driver if hes going on Suranjan Das rd..went and asked the driver who was stretching himself on the engine cover..he said its breakfast time and he will take out the bus only after 30 min..
Dejected I had to take an auto..so think that is the end of MF story for me..guess I will need to get back riding/driving to my office instead of taking the metro!
The Hindu about a week back
The Hindu about a week back posted the revised Metro routes-Folowing are them
http://www.thehindu.com/t...
MF-1(129D)-Majestic to majestic
MF-2(129)-Majestic to majestic
MF-3-Banashankari-to-Shivajinagar via Mayohall
MF-4-Central Silk board to Kalyannagar via Trinity Circle
MF-5-Madiwala to Old Baiyappanhalli
MF-6 TambuChettyPalya to Mangammanpalya via Baiyappanhali Metro and Koramangla
MF-7 Baiyappanhalli to Kadugodi via Marathahalli
MF-8-Baiyappanhalli ring route
MF-9: ITI Colony to Domlur via Baiyappanhalli and HAL(A new route connects CV Raman nagar with HAL and hence might have attarcted crowd too)
121BA from Mysore Road Satellite to MG Road
MF bus re-purposed
was getting to office today at bagmane via OMR..to my surprise, saw a MF mini bus almost full..went close to it and found that it is MF9..connecting ITI to domlur with byp station as one of the stops..
so I suspect most of the riders were not really from metro station..I could not find any references to these new routes..anyone has any info?
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Bangalore/article2632276.ece this talks of an KR puram/kalyan nagar - silk board bus..not sure if this route has anything to do with MF service..but its called as one!
Btw all MF busses suspended from SV road station!
signage at bus stops..
Apart from schedules at terminals, we will need signages at all bus stops where the feeder would stop..something like below should make sense..
No feeder service to KBS from MG Road Station
I wanted to go to Freedom Park from Indiranagar. MG-MF-1 & MG-MF-2 were supposed to be the feeders to KBS from MG Road station. But apparently no, that is not the case. As of yesterday, according to the BMTC call center (1-800-425-1663), there is no feeder service from MG Road towards KBS.
However, 129 from Shivajinagar in a new form, 129-D, is supposed to go from Shivajinagar via MG Road station to KBS, via Vidhana Soudha, KR Circle. Would have been really fast for me, though harder on the wallet, Rs 12 for metro and probably 10 more for the bus. New service, so they didn't have info on frequency.
Finally ended up going by 138-A upto Mysore Bank . 40 mins and pretty good except for horrendous traffic at Corporation. This was around 4 in the evening.
They should get the smaller buses/swaraj mazdas and have lots of them.
The issue really is the
The issue really is the absolute irrelavance of the trip sheet to what happens on the ground. Complete contrast with the precision engineering of the train upstairs. It is absolutely essential that they start tracking & publicising the GPS feeds so the bluff can be called. Put up the timetable as a committment with a 50% delay tolerance. Peak hour from BYP to CVRaman nagar can have a 15 min variance. Even if you assume a couple of trips of 30 min delay it cannot reduce the total trips by half.
I dont think this should be left to BMTC anymore, I hope the transport secretary or his department will step in & take control of integration.
Trip Sheet
I was able to take a pic of the Trip Sheet on the Metro Inaugural day
BYP MF trip sheet details
reached BYP from MG rd at 11 AM..got to the MF stand on the OMR. There were no busses, went to the TC with the trip ledger..asked him abt my feeder to Bagmane and he very understandingly gave the indian nod..
sat next to him and asked him questions and he slowly gave some details..
He showed his tripsheet and said there are minimum12 trips per bus per shift, which need to be done with a time span of 30 min per trip.
INcidentally due to traffic and other reasons, they take almost an hour to do the round trip..so they end up doing a maximum of 7 trips per shift only !
This TC was saying mini bus/swaraj mazda is the best for feeder service..they are faster..unfortunately the control room doesnt send them regularly..
Got my ride at 11:20 and was in office by 11:30..hope to get the shuttle on my way back lets see..
Took a ride again Yesterday while returning back from office
While returning back from office, wanted to try Metro and Feeders. Took office shuttle towards OMR and boarded train at SV Road Station at 6:45, reached MG Road at 6:55. As soon as I came out of station, MF-1 left MG Road and I could not catch it. Lots of G9 were waiting in front of MG Road station. I thought it might get delayed, crossed the road to take a prepaid auto to goto corporation circle from where I get BMTC buses to my locality BSK III Stg.
Waited almost 35 minutes to get an auto in the prepaid counter as there were no autos at all. Traffic Police opposite MG Road station are very co-operative and operating very strictly.They catched up all the empty autos that were passing through who were reluctant to come to the counter and made them. Some of the auto drivers were calling for passengers where they wanted to go, but the traffic cops warned them not to do so and take the passengers waiting in queue. Got an auto at 7:30, reached Corporation circle in minimum fare at 7:45 and took a normal parisaravahini to reach home at 8:15PM.
My normal office direct shuttle reaches at 7:45 - 8:00 PM. Despite of so many changes and waiting for 40 minutes for auto, I was late only by 15-30 mins!! If that 40 minutes could have been saved if I would have taken direct auto, I would have reached 5-10 minutes before !!
Location of the pre-paid auto counter in front of MG Road is a problem. All the auto drivers directly catch their customers before reaching the pre-paid counters and there is shortage of autos in the counter. As per the police there,t his is all because of the we people who entertain autos with whatever fare they demand instead of taking autos in Pre-paid counter.
No metro feeders enter the Plaza theatre side where pre-paid counters are. Majestic bound MF-1 takes a long route. If there are shuttles to Majestic / Market via corporation circle in front of pre-paid counters, it will be highly beneficial.
Good to see some progress. More progress needed on Eastern Side
Good to see some progress by BMTC on this. We want to see more on this on Eastern side connecting Byappanahalli to ITPL along two routes, one via Marathalli and another directly via OMR with A/C Marcopolo / Volvo.
I had never thought train would finish the journey with 13 odd minutes, thought it would take atleast 20 minutes. So using Metro in between would reduce lot of time. (Wish if the train had crossed the KR Puram Bridge as discussed by everyone).
Meanwhile another good news is that among the two TBMs, Helen is progressing well and within few weeks time it might reach Central College Station and it is expected to reach Cricket Stadium by July 2012.
As per the news report today
As per the news report today G-8, G-9 and G-11 Big10 Services will connect the Metro station- 129D runs from majestic to Metro with 10 mins frequency-on similar lines 121BA has been introduced to connect Satellite bus stand at Mysore road
Corporation Circle to MG Road Station
Corporation / Basaveshwara Circle to MG Road Station is a very crucial link. All the southern area buses bound to majestic will touch corporation circle. A link from here to MG Road will be very important for those who want to travel to Indiranagar / Rammurthynagar / BTP.