Bengaluru aims to regain the top position in city bus numbers

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation or BMTC has floated tenders for the purchase of as many as 820 diesel buses to expand its fleet and expand operations. Residents of Bengaluru will get a better commuting experience.

Bangalore: To provide greater convenience and a more efficient travel experience to the residents of Bengaluru city, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation or BMTC plans to expand its fleet of buses and operations in the silicon city. Recently, the BMTC issued tenders for the purchase of as many as 820 diesel buses. On February 9, the company invited tenders for the purchase of fully built Bharat Stage 6 diesel buses. It is notable that February 17 is the last date on which bids can be submitted. According to BMTC's Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) GT Prabhakar Reddi, as many as 820 diesel buses will be purchased using Karnataka government funds. 20 buses were purchased from Tata Motors on a trial basis.

Notably, this would be the last series of bus purchases the company has planned in the near term. This purchase is expected to help the silicon city declare the top position in the number of city buses. It is worth noting that Delhi has a whopping 7,135 city buses, the most of any city in the country.

Bengaluru: Tender for 840 buses

In October 2022, BMTC initiated tenders for the purchase of 840 diesel buses, but the process was temporarily paused due to a petition filed in the Karnataka High Court. The petition argued against the company's purchase of buses with a 1,000mm floor height, raising concerns about their lack of accessibility for people with disabilities.

In March last year, the court granted permission to resume the process of purchasing the bus after the transport authority assured its full accessibility to passengers using wheelchairs. However, the process was delayed due to the parliamentary elections.