Bengaluru's bus stories: Loving and living the city through windowpanes

On any given day, standing on the corner of a road in Bengaluru, one can witness vehicle after vehicle zooming past. Suddenly, a bus comes to a halt. Inside, the driver quickly drinks water from an old plastic bottle that was probably once a sanctuary for some fizzy drink. His khaki uniform is sticky with sweat and stress as he takes a moment to breathe before diving back into the chaos of Bengaluru's notorious traffic.

The conductor, the second-in-command of this iron and steel machine, makes the final announcements: “Majestic, Majestic...” followed by, “Bega, bega banni... (come, come fast...).” The Majestic, or Kempegowda Bus Station, is the integrated bus terminus. It provides connectivity to nearly all city areas.

The BMTC network, equipped with around 7,000 buses (including electric vehicles), carries about 3.6 million passengers daily.

A commuter makes a quick decision about whether the bus will take her to her destination and whether there is an empty seat. Once all these boxes are checked, she hops aboard. The bus quickly becomes her intimate space—a small private corner within a public setting.

Whether she exchanges smiles with her fellow passengers or experiences a kind or rude interaction with the conductor, it hardly matters during those thirty minutes to an hour, as she finds comfort in what feels like her second home. As the driver restarts the vehicle, it’s time to take in the vibrant scenes of the city: trees, buildings, vendors, other vehicles, and the road ahead.

Every Bengalurean has a bus story. While not everyone may have one, most commuters who traverse the length and breadth of the city by bus certainly have at least one great anecdote to share. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the blue and white, green or blue AC buses are the city's lifeline.

Bengalureans share a tight bond with buses. Many people have developed close friendships with drivers and conductors as they commute by buses regularly. 

However, those who can afford or prefer to use their vehicles or another mode of transportation avoid the public transport system for various reasons. The city buses are known to be one of the best in the country, with a well-connected network servicing almost every part of what was once the glorious garden city.

Buses have been operating on the roads of Bangalore since 1939. The Bangalore Transport Service (BTS), established by the then Mysore Government, was renamed the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) in 1997. The BMTC network, equipped with around 7,000 buses (including electric vehicles), carries about 3.6 million passengers daily, according to the transport corporation. In a day, these vehicles traverse 11.65 lakh kilometres, earning at least Rs 7 crore in revenue. Around 28,000 people are employed by the BMTC.

The rich history and equally rich (on occasions, not so rich and sometimes distasteful) human experiences of the commuters are often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of daily life.

A new bilingual book, Bussina Kathegalu (Bus Stories), written in Kannada and English, brings the experience of bus travel to life, highlighting why daily wage earners, officegoers, women workers, students, and people with disabilities are heavily reliant on buses for their mobility. Without this service, their lives would come to a standstill.

Bengaluru is infamous for traffic congestion. The city can clear massive traffic jams by introducing more buses on the roads. 

The book is a well-researched documentation on the city bus service system done by experts with help from various international organisations. The best part of the book is that it gives commoners a voice to express their love and loyalty to Bengaluru buses.

Several institutions and organisations collaborated to produce the book filled with engaging anecdotes and opinions, complemented by vibrant illustrations. These include Utrecht University in the Netherlands, the Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC) in Bengaluru, the Bangalore Bus Prayaanikara Vedike (BBPV), and SAMVADA.

A multitude of individuals contributed to bringing this book to life. The data collection team consists of Dilipa S, Pooja Narayanappa, Sahana N, and Saniya Samrin D. The mentoring team includes Ajay Bailey, Lekha Subaiya, Prajwal Nagesh, Shaheen Shasa, and Sobin George. The editors for the Kannada and English versions of the book are Raghu Nadig and RH Itagi. The book was designed by Suresh N and illustrated by Ramu S.

Prajwal Nagesh, a research scholar specialising in urban transport and one of the mentors behind the book, told The Federal that the idea was first conceived in 2022. "It took us almost three years to finally unveil the book. We trained four young and enthusiastic researchers, who are also bus commuters, on how to conduct interviews and gather stories from passengers. We employed the 'go-along interview method,' where the researchers boarded buses and travelled with passengers to speak with them. They visited various destinations and interacted with a diverse range of people, including bus drivers, conductors, cleaners, mechanics, bus depot personnel, and hawkers. This process took two months. We then curated and translated those stories, as the interviews were conducted in different languages such as Kannada, English, and Hindi. The book is available online for free, and we have also published several printed copies. Anyone interested can obtain the book at no cost, as it is a not-for-profit project."

Nagesh said that buses are the backbone of Bengaluru's transportation system, fostering lasting connections among commuters, bus personnel, and everyone in the community. "As commuters use buses daily, they become like a second home," he added. He highlighted several advantages of buses, noting that the extensive network of routes helps the city operate at its full potential. These buses not only cover the city but also reach its peripheral areas, including former villages and neighbouring communities.

He pointed out that bus travel is an affordable public transport option, enhanced by initiatives such as student concessions, senior citizen passes, and the 2023 Shakti Yojana, which offers free bus travel for women and transgender individuals, promoting equality in transportation access.

Nagesh suggested that the bus service could be improved by increasing the number of buses, which remained unchanged for nearly a decade, despite Bengaluru's rapid population growth. In 2015, the city's population was estimated at 10,141,080; it has now risen to approximately 14,395,400.

He said, "To make commuters' wait for buses more bearable, we should build safe and comfortable bus shelters. The buses should have low floors and ramps for wheelchair users to enhance accessibility. Pricing must remain affordable to encourage more people to use the buses. Instead of constructing more roads, flyovers, and tunnels, which would only promote car and two-wheeler ownership, investment should be directed toward developing bus-related infrastructure."

The city buses are about nostalgia for many—an old Bangalore (now Bengaluru)--almost lost forever. In the Bussina Kathegalu book, Paramesh, 55, vividly recalled childhood memories of double-decker buses. “Those (double-decker) buses were stacked on top of each other. We used to feel scared of falling while getting on those buses. The double-decker buses had two conductors. All the youngsters would sit on the terrace, while women and older people would sit below, as they found it difficult to climb up the steps.” Double-decker buses were last seen on Bengaluru roads in 1997. They were phased out due to operational and maintenance issues.

For Chandrappa, 50, a BMTC bus driver, buses have a friendly atmosphere. A native of Mandya said he made many friends while driving the bus for decades. “Oh yes, there are many (bonds) like that. If we are continuously doing trips on the same route, they ask, ‘Sir aayta uta?’ ‘Anna, aayta uta?’ ‘Uncle, aayta uta?’ (Did you have your meal?). A few people even get us food. Ladies will give food. So many times. See, we will go daily na. If they ask us, ‘Naashta aayta?’ (Had breakfast?) and if I say no, they will say, ‘Take this. I have got a box.' I have got so many such boxes from familiar people on the T4 route and other routes as well.”

A group of people sitting in a bus shelter waiting for the bus to arrive in Bengaluru.

“The BMTC is the exclusive public bus transport provider for Bengaluru, catering to urban, suburban, and rural areas. It is dedicated to delivering quality, safe, reliable, clean, and affordable travel options. The corporation's success is reflected in the increasing number of passenger trips each day, which encompasses a diverse customer base,” said an official from the transport corporation.

To enhance the safety and convenience of bus commuting for passengers, the official added, “In our efforts to modernise our services, the BMTC is focused on strengthening information systems and improving processes through the introduction of intelligent technology solutions. We aim to enhance capacity through infrastructure development, user-friendly interchange facilities, and fleet upgrades. These efforts complement our core activities, which include fare structuring, route network optimisation, planning, and monitoring. The BMTC reaches all corners of the city, making public transport an appealing choice for everyone.”