The BMTC is showing the way in serving the public and at the same time making enough money to pump the same back into the sector, a top official of BMTC said.
CHENNAI: The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is showing the way in serving the public and at the same time making enough money to pump the same back into the sector, a top official of BMTC said on Wednesday.
"The Corporation made a profit of Rs 225 crore last year," P S Sandhu, Director, BMTC, told reporters here on Wednesday.
Presenting a glimpse of the award-winning success story of BMTC, Sandhu expressed confidence that techies driving hatchbacks, sedans, luxury sedans and SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) in Bangalore would soon switch over to the conventional mode of transport, packaged and offered in
a glittering format.
"In two of our techie routes, we have been making phenomenal profits, with luxury buses fitted with mobile chargers and laptop ports proving to be a big hit among the IT professionals. They not only travel in a comfortable atmosphere, but also get to work during the travel period," Sandhu, an IPS officer, said.
Further, BMTC was coming up with around 40 multi-crore Traffic Transit Management Centres (TTMC) that promises to be a one stop-shop for many a traveller.
"The multi-storeyed facility will have 32 different services, ranging from vehicle parking to essential services like banks and creches, thus saving not only time for the passenger, but also a lot of fuel for them," he said.
The first phase of 10 such TTMCs would come up soon at a cost of Rs 335 crore, with funding from the Centre as well as the Public Private Participation (PPP) mode.
Further, to "save passengers from being fleeced by taxi drivers," BMTC operates special Red Buses to and from the newly constructed Devanahalli airport.
"A modern fleet of luxury buses have been introduced, considering the passenger profile. We are indeed losing money, but don't want the passengers to be fleeced by taxi drivers. This is our gesture to the new airport," he said.
In pursuit of pulling more city travellers to this mode of transport, the Corporation is on expansion mode, with BMTC mulling adding 5,000 buses to the existing similar number. "Unless people move to public transport, roads are not going to be free," Sandhu said.
Among other factors fuelling the profits of BMTC is the low bus-staff ratio, making the fleet "more efficient than others," in the country.
"The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) fleet has 11 persons to one bus, whereas BMTC has just over five," Sandhu said.
"The fleet of vehicles is the youngest in the nation and we have a dedicated workforce of 25,000 persons that has not gone on even a small strike since 1998," he said.
Quicker decisions from the top management also helped things, he said.
Sandhu, among others, was here to receive the IFMR-MIT's SPURS award of the 'Hidden Success Competition.'
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}