Fixing the mobility mess in Bengaluru

Radha Nayak, a corporate-sector employee in Bengaluru, who has relied on the metro for her commute for the last seven years, still encounters a big challenge — last-mile connectivity. As part of this initiative, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation introduced feeder bus services to establish connectivity between major tech corridors, including the Outer Ring Road, and metro stations. “Many studies confirm that the majority of commuters of Bengaluru are eager to switch to public transport from their personal vehicles to save time and avoid driving stress, but the last mile continues to be a hurdle,”says Srinivas Alavilli, a fellow at the WRI India, a research organisation.He adds that #Personal2Public is trying to address this complex problem by bringing together civic groups and corporate houses to work with government agencies such as Bangalore Metro Rail Transport Corporation Ltd., the BMTC, and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike that administers the city. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy says, since buses are one of the most effective solutions to enhance last-mile connectivity, “The BMTC is increasing the number of feeder bus services in the city, with a particular focus on connecting metro stations. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport has deployed 200 bicycle slots at nine metro stations and 11 BMTC Traffic Transit Management Centres to enable first- and last-mile connectivity to public transport.