Number of passengers in the bus didn’t even hit double digits after being inaugurated.
It was 11 a.m. the AC bus to Chikkaballapur was ready to leave the Kempegowda bus stop, but it had only one passenger. After waiting a bit, it set off on its journey with that sole passenger. Few people are willing to pay double the cost of a regular bus journey to Chikkaballapur.
Sujit Kumar, a passenger waiting for a bus to Devanahalli said that not many people travel using the new bus as local people and farmers who travel on a daily basis do not want to pay Rs 80 when they can get other buses at a cheaper price. He said that there are many other private buses that go to Chikkaballapur which cost Rs 50 which is way cheaper than the new AC buses.
Patil Bassavaraja, a driver of the newly launched bus said that, approximately 20 to 30 people travelled from Chikkaballapur to Bangalore and vice versa since it started functioning. He added that since there are only two such buses at the moment, their frequency is less.
Myna, a passenger travelling by a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus said that she frequently travels to her native in Chikkaballapur .But she was not aware of the newly launched Bengaluru Metropolitan Trasnport Corporation (BMTC) AC buses. She said she might consider traveling in those next time.
Frequent travelers to Chikkaballapur say they prefer taking KSRTC buses over the newly launched BMTC bus. Mamta, a police constable travelling to Chikkaballapur by a KSRTC bus said that “I would prefer to go by this bus as it is free for us. If we travel by AC bus we have to pay.”
Buses at the Majestic bus stop.
Sujit added that if BMTC had launched a normal bus instead of two AC buses it would have been more helpful for people travelling to both Chikkaballapur and Devanahalli.
Passengers say the new AC bus will be helpful for people travelling to airport than frequent travelers to Chikkaballapur. But the bus does not enter the airport, which may make further stop passengers from preferring this route.
The bus 298 MN starts from Majestic Bus Station and covers Hebbal, Esteem Mall, Yelahanka and stops at the Sadenahalli toll gate near airport road to Chikkaballapur, it does not enter the airport.
Prof. M.N Sreehari said BMTC should have started with regular buses first. “Looking at the demand of the passengers, they could have introduced AC buses later,” he said.
He also said, lack of awareness among people could be a huge factor here. “It will take some time to pick up. Also, the A.C buses are high maintenance and since the buses don’t have many takers right now, the fares will be kept high. If this continues, BMTC might as well discontinue the services,” he added.
The newly launched 298 MN bus was operational from March 21, 2023.
