The state-run Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation found almost no mention in Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s latest budget on Monday, leading to frustration from transportation activists in the city, who have been complaining about the bus system for years. The only mention of BMTC in the 48-page speech is that of the ‘Vanitha Sangathi’ programme for providing BMTC bus passes at concessional rate to women labourers of the garment sector, but even that was a promise made in last year’s budget, carried forward this year with an allocation of Rs 30 crore.
Even in comparison to previous years, the BMTC fared dismally in the most recent state budget.
What’s more, promises made in last year’s budget to add 1500 diesel buses to the fleet have been deferred to this year. Another Rs 100 crore ear-marked last year from the state government for purchasing electric buses could not take place, as the money was spent salaries due to low revenues amid the pandemic.
Tara Krishnswamy, co-founder, Citizens for Bengaluru, said, “Buses are an engine of economic growth as they serve as the lifeline of the urban poor. But they have seen zero investment in terms of adding more buses. Most people of the lower economic strata, especially women, go to work on buses or need them to look for jobs. So we need to subsidise bus travel which the state can easily afford to do especially at a time when people are trying to get back on their jobs and incomes lost due to the pandemic.”
The bus system in Bengaluru has faced long-term neglect, and ridership has been on the decline in recent years. In 2013-14, the daily ridership was pegged at 50 lakh, while the number in 2018 came down to around 45 lakh. In March 2020, before the lockdown, it was further down to 35 lakh. A major part of this decline has been attributed to high bus fares, lack of reliability and reduction of services. At the same time, 23 lakh vehicles were added in the city’s roads in the 4.5 years ending September 2019.
Read: Bengaluru has the most expensive public transport in India, and people aren’t happy
Read: ‘Shared taxis, two-wheelers more convenient than buses’: B'luru commuters on fare hike
Tara explained that Karnataka could at least emulate places like Punjab and Delhi, and make bus commutes free for women. Maharashtra has also incidentally made travel for rural girls free in buses. “Women are the poorest across classes as they own the least amount of assets and earnings. By making commuting free, the government can encourage them to re-enter the economy and find a job without making them spend to reach their working place. Every budget now seems to be a worse budget when you look from a bus commuter perspective as there is no increase in spending, the population is continuing to grow,” she said.
She added that buses should also be looked at from a public health point of view, so that people are encouraged to take buses, while also reducing pollution and congestion in Bengaluru.
Shaheen Shasa of the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BPPV), said, “Considering how the economy is in a bad shape, more was expected out of the budget to help people to get back to their livelihoods. What is more disappointing is that while no money has been given for buses in the budget, whatever was promised last year has also been left unfulfilled.”
She also pointed out that even though the state government has not spent any significant investments to improve bus commute in Bengaluru, priority seems to be given to the metro- though those travelling by metro are equal to 10% of those using buses.“Even post-lockdown, the metro numbers have picked up at a much slower pace compared to bus ridership. Buses actually transport a majority of people who rely on public transport but despite all that, attention in terms of planning, policy and spending priority is given to the metro. Not only the bus, even the suburban rail suffers when compared to the metro,” she said.
Budget tweet :
— Bus Prayanikara Vedike (@BBPVedike) March 9, 2021
As per the 'Action Taken Report' on last year's budget, GoK deferred the plan to procure 1500 BMTC buses to 2021-22 (pg. 36). (1/3)https://t.co/EKpCx76ZxU pic.twitter.com/LGCZnFfT3G
Sandeep Anirudhan, founder - 'Citizens Agenda for Bengaluru' and a governance and sustainability proponent, said, that this problem of disproportionate spending remains largely due to governance and planning capacity vacuum at city level and the resulting lack of planning by governments; and secondly due to organised international bankrolling cabals which look for financing single large projects such as metro projects or bullet trains, which have sovereign guarantees. So, very often, these projects have no real requirement, they are just imposed on a city or country, just because there is funding available.
He said, “All of our spending on transport is based on ad-hoc planning in absence of a singular empowered transport authority which integrates all forms of public transport in Bengaluru and plans well ahead to cater to the integrated demand. This transport plan has to be in sync with the master plan of the city, designed by an empowered city govt. Both these plans need to be based on a study of the city's functioning, future vision, and raw data, which is so easily avialable today! But in our case, we have neither urban planners nor transport planners empanelled in our city admn. We all want to be like London. Dubai and Singapore but we are not planning like them.”
He added, “Today, when it comes to multi-crore projects like metro, steel flyovers, etc, which lobbyist proposes what project at how much kickback decides which projects get picked up.”
He also pointed out that metro being a very niche industry and has international financiers bankrolling it needing very little government spending. Case in point, the Asian Development Bank has approved a loan for the construction of the metro line to the Bengaluru airport even though the project is yet to be finalized by the Union government.
If similarly, there is a consortium of Bus Manufacturers who tie up with bankrollers and set up a lobbying platform, who can sell a Bus based transit system, as a single project for cities, with zero interest financing, etc., then cities may react favorably to using bus in their mass transit infra mix!
But eventually, we cannot escape the need for a single Transport Authority and a City Govt that Masterplans for the city, to ensure that all modes of transport are planned and well integrated to make the city accessible for all. We cannot escape having Urban Planners and Transport Planners in our city administration and planning!