Date:12/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/12/stories/2006081224180400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Special bus service for women to be launched on August 15

Staff Reporter

BMTC will run 12 such buses from Kempe Gowda Bus Station from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

FOR A PLEASANT JOURNEY: `Women special' buses have superior quality seats and commuters can listen to radio. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is all set to offer an Independence Day gift to women commuters of Bangalore in the form of specially designed "women special" buses. They are being introduced for the comfortable journey of women in the city.

Distinct look

The buses, bodies of which are being built at BMTC workshop, have comparatively superior seats. The commuters can also listen to the radio. The BMTC has painted these buses in purple with stickers of different colour combinations to give a distinct look for the special service, BMTC officials told The Hindu.

The corporation has been making efforts to ensure a comfortable travel for women. Despite earmarking a few seats in buses, women have been facing problems.

Recently, the BMTC tried a three-door concept on one of its buses where male and female commuters had to move to the rear and the front portion respectively after boarding the bus from the main door. Commuters, who are used to the existing system, have found it difficult to adjust to the new system.

Presently, the corporation plans to run 12 such buses from Kempe Gowda bus station to all major destinations and it intends to increase the numbers gradually.

These buses would ply in general shift (7 a.m. to 7 p.m.), during which time the number of women commuters is more.

These buses would be operated between KBS to Yelahanka Satellite Town, Vidyaranyapura, Kalyananagar, Ramakrishna Hegde Nagar, Jeevan Bima Nagar, Nandini Layout, Koramangala, Kumaraswamy Layout, J.P. Nagar VI Phase, BTM Layout, Chandra Layout and Hoskerehalli.

The corporation has incurred around Rs. 50,000 extra cost over the regular buses on these new buses, officials said.

Bodybuilding for a regular bus would cost the BMTC around Rs. 5 lakh.