BMTC to Relaunch Bus Priority Lane on Marathahalli-Silk Board Route by January 2026

Quick Summary

• The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will reinstate the bus priority lane between Marathahalli and Silk Board junction starting January 2026.
• This initiative, first introduced in 2019 along the K.R. Puram-Silk Board route, was discontinued during metro construction as bollards marking the lane were removed for metro pillar work.
• BMTC Managing Director Ramachandran R. announced this plan at a World Resources Institute event focused on mobility, but did not confirm if the entire stretch would reopen.
• The bus priority lane had previously garnered popularity among commuters but also faced criticism when shut down.
• BMTC is adopting new initiatives to improve urban transport:

– Development of digital transport infrastructure.
– Introduction of smart cards compatible with electronic ticketing and “smart Shakti cards.”
– Plans to implement automatic passenger counting systems and conductorless transit through automated fare collection systems.

• Bengaluru heavily depends on public transportation operated by BMTC (approx.fleet of 6,888 buses), which serves around 45 lakh daily passengers, alongside BMRCL’s 8.5 lakh daily users in a city with a population nearing 1.5 crore.
• Comparisons were drawn with delhi’s broader transport options (10,000 buses plus metro/suburban routes), underscoring Bengaluru’s need to expand its fleet.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The resumption of the bus priority lane could alleviate traffic issues in one of Bengaluru’s busiest corridors while offering faster commute times for public transit users-if implemented effectively across an adequate stretch with minimum disruptions during development stages like metro construction. Past popularity underscores commuter demand for such measures; however, sustained success will rely on proper integration with upcoming enhancements like digital ticketing and real-time passenger data systems.

From an urban planning viewpoint, BMTC’s focus on leveraging technology points toward long-term improvements in travel efficiency amid rising urban population pressures. Still, challenges pervade: limited fleet size compared to peer cities like Delhi highlights infrastructural gaps that must be addressed alongside innovation efforts to meet future demands sustainably.

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