B’luru traffic an everyday nightmare
A DAILY DILEMMA Millions live and work in this country’s metropolises, hamstrung by their slowly decaying public transport networks. Hindustan Times take stock of how people commute in four of the country’s mega cities. Today, a Bengaluru resident describes the ordeal to make it to his office, 20 kilometres from home, and how congested public buses, metro trains and road traffic limit his options
Dheeraj Aithal, a 29-year-old wildlife filmmaker, begins every day undecided on the mode of transport to take to reach his office in Marathahalli, near the IT corridor, from his home in Vyalikaval, a distance of 20km.
“I look at the map on my phone every morning to see the extent of the traffic,” he said. “It takes me at least two hours by bus because of the massive congestion on the city’s roads.”
Aithal says every time he is stuck in traffic, he wishes he was out of the city on a shoot. “I have a jeep and a two-wheeler, but it is too much of a hassle to use these to commute,” Aithal said. However, taking a bus is an arduous task in itself.
“Buses are erratic because of the traffic congestion and then I have to change buses at the Kempegowda Bus Station because there is no direct service,” Aithal said. He takes the 104 route to reach the central bus station and then takes the air-conditioned Volvo buses that ply to the Marathahalli area.
The most preferred means of transport in the city still remain the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) buses, which carry a daily average of six million commuters.
Aithal said the option of using app-based taxis was tempting but it did not help as the taxi is stuck in the same traffic that buses face. “Besides, in the pool option there are stops and sometimes the journey can take as long as the buses,” he said.
Aithal ruled out using autorickshaws, saying it was the preferred mode of transport only for short distances. “They do not agree to ferry
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me to the destination generally because in the time it takes to get to Marathahalli they can make multiple trips and reduce stress if they travel shorter distances,” he said.
He is not the only one struggling with the traffic. The Bengaluru Development Authority estimates that city residents lose a staggering 600 million man hours every year because of the “scourge” of congestion, which translates in monetary terms to a loss of ₹3,700 crore, including ₹1,350 crore lost on fuel.
According to this report, only half of the nine million trips Bengalureans make on a daily basis are on buses, the primary mode of public transport in the city. Despite the congestion, dependence on private vehicles continues unabated. Private vehicle numbers increased around 72% in just five years — up from 3.75 million in March 2012 to 6.48 million in October 2017.
On a typical day, Aithal leaves for work at about 10.30am. “The most annoying part of the beginning of my work day is the wait for the bus at the local stop,” he said, adding that it takes an average of 20 minutes to get one.
Another 30 minutes and Aithal reaches the central bus stand. From there, it can take well over an hour to reach Marathahalli.
When asked if he could make a leg of the journey through the metro, Aithal says it is too crowded all the time, pointing to the fact that metro trains have only three coaches.
On the Green Line, which serves his area, Aithal said the frequency was low, with one train every six to eight minutes. “That will only take me to Byappanahalli, from where I have to travel a further 10km by road,” he said.
Getting back home takes an equally long time. “Most often I prefer staying back at work till about 8pm just to avoid the traffic,” Aithal said.
There is, however, a mode of transport Aithal says is the fastest, which he relies on every once in a while.
“I find that cycling from my house to Marathahalli is faster than any other mode of transport,” he said. An avid cyclist, who goes on trips outside the city on the weekends, Aithal said infrastructural help for cyclists, like an exclusive lane could go a long way in making it popular.
“It is very stressful to use it otherwise, although there are perks. For example, I can push the cycle across signals, without having to wait like the other commuters,” he said.
I find that cycling from my house to Marathahalli is faster than any other mode of transport. It is very stressful to use it otherwise, although there are perks. For example, I can push the cycle across signals, without having to wait like the other commuters.