The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is aiming to develop Mysore as a model transport city in the country as a whole, with high-end facilities like modern buses, bus terminals and information updates.
It has already made some moves in this direction with funds being provided under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Reconstruction Mission (JNNURM).
Highlighting the ongoing advances and the future focus, KSRTC managing director Gaurav Gupta said on Thursday, the JNNURM funds of Rs 110.16 crore will go into developing city bus stands (Rs 15.97 crore), rural bus stands (Rs. 23.61 crore), construction of inter-model transit centre at Kuvempunagar (Rs 18.40 crore), Yelawala (Rs 5.90 crore), Sathagalli (Rs 35.07 crore), R S Naidu Nagar (Rs 5.89 crore), Chamundi Hills (Rs 3,75 crore) and a depot at Sathagalli (Rs 1.57 crore). Work on them are in their various stages of progress.
The well-equipped bus stations will have various transport facilities under one roof, city and rural transport service connectivity, bus, railway and airlines advance booking, pre-paid taxi and auto, park and ride, and public utility facilities, digital display and intelligent transport system, rainwater harvesting and solar power, rest rooms, modern lighting system and travel-friendly environment.
Around 150 buses comprising of 30 Volvos, 79 semi-low floor buses and 41 Marco Polo buses, all costing Rs 53.95 crore, are being pressed into service in the city. “Mysore has 54 low-floor buses already. In the coming days, their number will go up to 150,” Gupta said. The low-floors are manufactured at the KSRTC workshop.
The KSRTC was already running 10 low floor buses to KRS and places like Chamundi Hills, Srirangapatna and Yelwal at intervals of 10-15 minutes. He offered to consider city bus facilities to the Nanjangud industrial estate from Nanjangud and surrounding areas.
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Gupta, who was participating in an interactive session on ‘Synergising Traffic and Hi-tech Transportation’ organised by the Mysore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said the Mysore city transport division had been carved out into a separate entity for exclusive attention to the city services. He offered a direct Mysore-Bangalore International Airport Volvo bus service, if response was forthcoming.
The KSRTC, he said, was working on advanced technologies to provide real-time passenger information, including SMS alerts. A study had been taken up on transit-oriented development of the transport system through a Mumbai consulting firm.
“Our goal is to make Mysore a town like that in Continental Europe. Besides being a heritage city, Mysore is a jewel among the liveable cities in India,” Gupta added.
Police commissioner Sunil Agarwal promised to strengthen vigil in Metagalli and other industrial estates in the city to check week-end thefts.
Inaugurating the session, Central Food Technological Research Institute director V Prakash suggested to the KSRTC to be prepared to compete with the private sector, as in the air travel sector, build up a brand equity picture and introduce need-based small and medium-sized vehicles.