Bengaluru Metro's loss is BMTC' gain on NICE Road
Bengaluru: With the long-delayed Yellow Line of Namma Metro to Electronics City still not open to public, thousands of commuters are turning to BMTC's NICE Road express bus services, which have seen a sharp rise in ridership and earnings in recent months.
Launched in Dec 2023, BMTC services along NICE Road corridor began with 62,000 passengers. Today, they attract more than 4 lakh commuters each month. The corporation is now operating 53 buses across 17 routes on NICE Road, with daily ridership exceeding 13,000 passengers.
Revenue has also seen a notable jump, with earnings per kilometre doubling in just over a year to Rs 58.8 from Rs 26.1. Among the services gaining traction is the recently introduced non-stop express route covering 48km between Madavara and Electronics City.
BMTC chief traffic manager (operations) GT Prabhakar Reddy said the services have outpaced other major corridors within city limits in terms of popularity. "...Responding to this demand, we've added more routes and buses. We've also introduced a direct link from Tavarekere to Electronics City and are planning to roll out 10 AC buses on this route," he said.
NICE Road buses now connect key IT hubs via routes originating in Madavara, Vijayanagar TTMC, Bidadi, Kengeri, Banashankari, Basaveshwara Nagar, and other residential areas.
Commuters cite reduced travel time and avoidance of city-centre congestion as key reasons for choosing NICE corridor.
A one-way ticket from Madavara to Electronics City costs Rs 76, including a Rs 30 toll charge levied by NICE. Although BMTC had earlier requested the toll be reduced or waived for public transport buses, the proposal did not receive any favourable response from NICE authorities.
Several passengers also use Metro to reach Madavara before switching to buses to complete their journey to Electronics City.
This seamless multimodal shift has become increasingly necessary, as BMRCL continues to miss deadlines for the Yellow Line, connecting RV Road and Bommasandra.
Despite spending nearly Rs 7,000 crore on the 19-km elevated stretch, the Metro line — initially expected to launch in June with three trains — is yet to receive third-party safety clearance for its signalling system.
With no official launch date in sight and repeated delays, public confidence in BMRCL's timeline continues to erode.
Meanwhile, BMTC's efficient operations along NICE Road are proving to be a lifeline for daily commuters to the city's IT corridor.
Box
Rising demand
NICE Road bus service launches in Dec 2023
Starts with 62,000 passengers
Currently, route caters to 4 lakh commuters a month
BMTC now operates 53 buses across 17 routes on NICE Road
Daily ridership exceeds 13,000 passengers
Earnings per km doubles in over a year from Rs 26.1 to Rs 58.8
Recently introduced non-stop express route, covering 48km between Madavara and Electronics City, gains traction
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