The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is very eager to introduce double-decker buses taking a view from the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and it decided to run five double-decker buses.
The practicability of running double-decker buses on short routes from Bengaluru to Tumkur, Doddaballapur is being under consideration. Primarily double-decker buses are operated within city. The KSRTC which largely operates intercity service is surveying the possibility of running such buses on short distance routes said KSRTC Managing Director AnbuKumar.
In the meanwhile they will interact with the bus manufacturers of double-decker buses. If found reasonable,they will use internal resources to fund a few buses, he added that the corporation is scrutinizing to run electric double-decker buses in Mysore on pilot basis as the KSRTC runs intracity services there too.
Making use of National Clean Air Programme funds the BMTC decided to introduce five electric buses. The cost of each bus will be Rs. 2 crore.
Decades ago, Bangalore Transport Service (BTS) had some double-decker buses, but after BMTC came into existance, the fleet gradually disposed off citing practical problems. In the last decade, several attempts were made to run double-decker buses, but they dropped the plan after finding the city’s road unfavorable infrastructure to run them.
Surya Sen A.V Director (IT) of BMTC told ” Outer Ring Roads (ORR) are workable to run these buses and many routes in the Central Business District (CBD) areas have tourism destinations. Even though the PORT has underpasses and sky walls large vehicles use the road, the height of double-decker buses is 3.8 m, can easily run on this route.
Mr. Sen added the BMTC had also been considering to introduce five more double-decker buses under the State Urban Transport fund.
The BMTC has also plans to use mini-buses, 6 m length to connect interior roads. These buses accomodate 20 passengers. There is a plan to launch 100 such buses. The BMTC will float the tender by the end of September.
