Sarjapur Road commuters are willing to pay more for reliable, comfortable BMTC services, with 73.1% of respondents supporting premium buses offering air-conditioning, assured seating, Wi-Fi, fixed schedules and pre-booking, according to a survey released in October by BMTC and Save Our Sarjapur.
The BMTC-SOS Sarjapur Mobility Survey covered 400 respondents and examined why commuters in south-east Bengaluru continue to depend on private vehicles despite severe congestion. The findings come as construction of the Sarjapur Road Metro line is likely to begin within a year, a development that could add to traffic disruption during the construction period.
The survey found that frequency was the strongest factor that could persuade respondents to shift to buses. Other priorities included air-conditioned services, real-time bus tracking, fewer interchanges, easier ticketing, stops within 300 metres, smoother transfers and better shelters and skywalks. Respondents also reported that the bus application does not consistently track buses and that services on some routes remain infrequent or unreliable.
A missing connection between the Bellandur-Iblur junction on the Outer Ring Road and Bellandur Gate on Sarjapur Road was identified as a specific access problem. The gap forces commuters to walk about 1 km. Respondents also cited confusion over bus stops on Haralur Road and limited internal access to major technology parks, including Eco World and other employment hubs.
The survey shows that the corridor’s travel demand is closely tied to office commuting. Forty-three per cent of respondents said they travel five days a week, while 30.2% travel three days a week. The largest morning peak begins between 8 am and 9 am, when 36.3% of respondents leave home, followed by the 7 am to 8 am period at 30.5%. In the evening, the 4 pm to 5 pm and 5 pm to 6 pm periods each accounted for 22.9% of departures.
Hosa Road and Kasavanahalli accounted for the largest share of journey origins at 37.6%, followed by Haralur Road at 25.6%. On the destination side, the Outer Ring Road stretch from Iblur to Marathahalli accounted for 29.8% of trips, while 18.5% travelled beyond Marathahalli. Prestige Tech Park, Ecospace, Bagmane Tech Park and Embassy Tech Village were among the technology parks identified by respondents.
Airport connectivity also received strong support. Of 382 respondents, 91.9% said they would consider a premium KIA bus to the airport, while 82.2% said they would consider using one from the airport. The report recommends beginning with a one-bus pilot and adding a pre-booking facility.
The proposed premium service model includes four pilot routes, high-frequency AC buses to Iblur and flat fares of Rs 100, Rs 150 and Rs 200 based on distance. The suggested fare structure is Rs 100 for journeys below 10 km, Rs 150 for journeys between 10 km and 20 km, and Rs 200 for journeys above 20 km. Proposed pilot corridors include Hosa Road and Haralur Road via the Outer Ring Road, as well as Muthanallur-Dommasandra.
Mukund Kumar of Save Our Sarjapura said the survey summary had been presented to senior BMTC officials, who were receptive and keen to work with the group. Joy VR, co-founder of the Sarjapura Residents Welfare Association, said real-time tracking and properly spaced bus services would help commuters. The next step identified in the report is consideration of pilot services, including a premium airport route.
