Hubli Dharwad BRT begins trial runs

The much spoken about Hubli Dharwad BRT system has begun trial runs with five buses running between the Hubli railway station and Unkal Lake. Of the five buses that are operational, include a few UD 12 m buses (built by Prakash, and powered by a 230 hp GH8 engine mated to a six-speed ZF auto transmission) and a few Tata Marcopolo vestibule buses. According to industry sources, the BRT system has placed an order for 100 UD 12 m buses and 30 Tata Marcopolo vestibule buses. Each UD bus is said to cost Rs.86.5 lakhs. Beginning public operations on November 01, 2018, if the industry sources are to be believed, the Hubli Dharwad BRT system has already seen several deadlines being missed, much to the angst of local residents. The construction is funded by the Government of Karnataka, while the operation and maintenance work will be done by Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) in association with Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). A four4-lane ‘throughout’ bus corridor measures 22 km in length, and is built in the middle of an eight-lane freeway, which includes two lanes for mixed traffic in both the directions. The width of the corridor varies from 44 m to 24.5 m.