Officials cited the lack of demand from the citizens as the reason behind the decision.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has discontinued the online ticket booking facility for the Vayu Vajra buses through the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) app and website. The service, introduced in 2020, allowed passengers to prebook tickets for the airport AC bus service connecting various parts of the city to the Kempegowda International Airport.
An official from the KSRTC said that the decision to discontinue the service was based on the lack of request from BMTC to restart the facility post-COVID-19. He said that they initially provided the service upon BMTC’s request but did not receive any indication to resume it. He added that if the BMTC expresses interest in restarting the online ticket booking facility, they would be willing to reinstate the service promptly.
However, BMTC officials said that they stopped the online ticket booking facility due to a lack of demand from the public. They added that, at present, there were no plans to resume the service.
Mohit, a working professional, said that he was not aware of the past online ticket booking feature for the Vayu Vajra service by BMTC. He said that he frequently depended on the Vayu Vajra service for airport travel, especially when he was not in a hurry, and was not carrying a lot of luggage. He added that this was because the bus was comparatively more cost-effective than taking a cab and offered better connectivity than the metro. “Though I have not encountered any problems due to the physical ticketing system, the availability of an online ticket booking facility could help those who wish to have a pre-planned travel arrangement and will give them an option to choose from,” he said.
Prof. M.N. Sreehari, Advisor to the Government of Karnataka for Traffic, Transportation, and Infrastructure, said that the decision by the BMTC must have been due to the lack of significant advance bookings on the platform, given the reliance of commuters on the equally comfortable and cost-effective metro or the convenience of cabs for their journeys to the airport. “The initial intention behind introducing the online ticketing service might have been compromised due to the lack of demand from the public,” he said. He added that individuals may not be inclined to consistently pre-book bus tickets for short journeys, potentially opting for flexibility in choosing later buses or avoiding dependence on buses with uncertain punctuality. He said that while this highlighted the dominance of the metro in the city’s transportation due to its comfort and cost-effectiveness, the buses continued to remain a necessity, particularly in areas where metro connectivity was lacking.
