Date:17/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101760760100.htm

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Metro work may hit KSRTC services

Staff Reporter

Construction of metro rail station to be taken up at Kempe Gowda Bus Station

Tamil Nadu-bound buses will be operated from Shanthinagar terminal from Sunday
Three of the five depots at the central bus-stand to be relocated

BANGALORE: Operation of bus services from the Kempe Gowda Bus Station is likely to be affected from March next as Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (BMRC) plans to take up the underground station work, which is likely to take nearly two years for completion.

Following the development, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is shifting the operation of all Tamil Nadu-bound buses (except Airavata) to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) Shanthinagar Terminal from October 19 while it has shifted operation of its services (except Airavata) on Mysore sector which go to Hunsur and beyond to the Mysore Road Satellite Terminal.

“We require around 20 acres of working area for the construction of underground stations at two levels at KBS. We have already submitted the plans to KSRTC,” N. Sivasailam, Managing Director, BMRCL, told The Hindu.

The work is likely to begin from March next, he added.

“We operate nearly 2,800 departures from KBS a day and have to relocate them gradually since we cannot abruptly change the operation pattern. Quite a few schedules will continue to be operated from KBS,” Gaurav Gupta, Managing Director of KSRTC, said.

Mr. Gupta said the working area of metro would dislocate three of the five depots at KBS, which maintain over 1,500 buses.

“We have requested the Government to allot alternative land to establish these depots till the metro work is completed. If the land is allotted within two km radius of KBS, complete disruption of operations can be prevented,” he said.

According to K.A. Rajkumar, Director (Operations), KSRTC, the Mysore Road and Shanthinagar Terminals could cater to departure of nearly 200 schedules each.

About the remaining 2,400 schedules, the corporation was yet to take a decision. He said that the metro work would not dislocate the departure bays at KBS as only the depot areas would be affected.

Operation of premium Airavata service would continue from KBS while the Volvo depot could be shifted to Shanthingar, he added.

BMTC spared

Since the metro underground station work will be taken up near KSRTC depots, operation of BMTC services will not be affected.