This is more of a hunch, based on observation during last two weeks. But as I commute into the city from Whitefield everyday, and get to see crowded 500c buses (Vajra) at around the same time everyday at Marathalli, I get this feeling that the 500c crowds have thinned a bit.
The theory, wild of course, goes like this. While those flyovers on the Silk Board - Marathalli stretch of Outer Ring Road were under construction, car users reluctantly switched to 500c (or the variants, 500k etc). And now that the flyover lanes are opening one by one, they may have started moving back to the cars.
Hard to prove this, yes. Wish one could get 500c daily ridership data from BMTC. Wouldn't it be great research material, to prove that choked corridors are actually good for public transport, and as you build these flyovers, people get back to using personal vehicles!?
The other side effect of new flyovers is more accidents near the downslopes of new flyovers. This one should be easy to prove, just need the monthly road accidents sheet by police stations. Traffic Police does maintain such data, in nice excel sheets. Just that they don't share those sheets in full.
PS: one has to see the morning crowds in 500c towards ITPL to believe it. These vajras (okay, Volvos) run packed. The route has been a success, sadly enough though, whoever came up with this Vajra route doesn't get as much credit.
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Comments
Probably right
I think your hunch maybe correct. With one ramp open now on almost all flyovers or underpasses along ORR (southeast), travel time has reduced drastically & hence, people may have switched over to cars. This would also prevent exposure from dusty conditions when walking & at bus-stops.
I used the ORR volvos few days back. Crowd on ORR buses (off-peak) is certainly lesser, though it's still not possible to get a seat. Previously, when I had used them (some six months ago), they were running fully packed (no place to even stand properly).
According to this report, Chennai buses carried 1616 passengers a day on average during 2010-11. It's not clear from the report what the corresponding number is for BMTC, but a figure of 904 has been quoted, but I think Chennai buses are highly over-crowded /uncomfortable to travel in.
Chennai vs Bangalore buses
The report gives comparative figures except the fare comparison.
At Chennai the buses cater to lower income groups and are more crowded. But at Bangalore the common commuters are squeezed out by the high fares only to show profit.
The usefulness of the service should be measured more by the percentage of population they cater to rather than the other figures.
K.V.Pathy
Likely
Even if the thinning crowds in 500C has not started happening now, it is eventually bound to happen. These private-transport incentivising plans (flyovers/ underpasses) etc are just temporary solutions.
And after the flyover constructions end, the ORR is going to be a killer for pedestrians intending to cross the ORR. There are no skywalks currently under-construction and it is going to be a scary prospect. Unmarked bus stops, scary crossings etc are going to make BMTC travel very very inconvenient. Why would anybody still want to travel by BMTC?
But peak hours still lot of crowd in 500k
Let BRTS come into force - buses would be the first pick of all
There wil be proper bus stop/shetlers skywalks all over.
Btw - New website on BRT Data accross world
FYI - This is a new website for BRT Data across the world:
http://brtdata.org/
India's data : http://brtdata.org/#/country/Asia/India
Feeling sad not to see Bangalore in the list.
Today took 500C in the evening at 7:15pm - again crowded
Today evening at around 7:15 pm, I took 500C from Iblur to Banashankari. Again it was very crowded. Got seat at BTM.
BTM is the place from where lots of IT folks reside. Lots of PG Hostels since it is easily accessible to both Ring Road companies, ITPL and EC. But, BMTC runs all the buses either from Banashankari 500C, or variants. 500 NA runs from Silkboard to ITPL. If 500 NA is started somewhere near Jayadeva Hospital / Cauvery Junction, BTM crowd will be addressed better.
BMTC is getting maximum output with minimum input, i.e. with less number of buses, it is getting good revenue. It might not bother how people travel, probably they will be happy with crowded buses. When I see empty Volvos running from Manyata Tech Park and compare with crowded 500Cs, I feel very sad. Leasing of Volvos to companies has taken out lots of buses for common Public.