After the double decker buses, it is the turn of BMTC’s vestibule buses to retire. Forty out of the 98 buses with twin carriages, referred to as ‘janti-vahana’ in Kannada, will earn a permanent rest soon as they have run seven lakh kilometres.
The double decker buses were retired a few years ago. The vestibule buses were first introduced in 2001. They will make way for buses with Euro IV engines, whose pollution levels are said to be 30 per cent less than the other buses.
BMTC managing director K R Sreenivas told Bangalore Mirror, “Some buses have completed seven lakh kilometres and we have to either refurbish them or replace them with new ones.”
“After the buses complete the stipulated period, we bring in new buses, which is a regular practice,” he added.
Drivers, however, are happy. Mahadevaiah, a BMTC driver, said, “It requires high concentration to run vestibule buses on narrow roads. It will ease pressure on us.”
