Old Gives Way For New: BMTC Plans To Scrap 800 Old Bengaluru Buses, To Induct 1000 New Ones After NGT Order

A total of 800 Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) city buses which are 11 years or older and have run for over 8.5 lakh kilometres, would be scrapped by this financial year, The Hindu has reported.

This comes after a total of 1,406 new buses were inducted into the fleet in the financial year 2017-18. Due to lack of funds and legal hurdles, only 298 buses were added between 2014-15 and 2015-16. The total bus strength now stands at 6,634.

The number of breakdown cases of buses on the road has gradually come down over the years according to recent data from BMTC. The number of breakdowns has come down to 2,024 in 2017-18 from 3,488 in 2012-13.

A BMTC official said: “There are various factors for a reduced breakdown, which include removal of old buses from the fleet, induction of new buses and periodic maintenance. In the coming days, the number of breakdowns will reduce further provided more new buses are added to the fleet.”

The report claims that BMTC is plans to induct 1,000 new buses, but the plan would depend on the National Green Tribunal’s decision about putting diesel buses into service.

V Ponnuraj, Managing Director of BMTC, said, “We are planning to induct 1,000 new buses in the coming days. However, everything will depend on the outcome of the NGT order.”