The strike by private fare transporters exposed the chinks in public transport infrastructure such as the lack of integration of various modes of transport, its accessibility to senior citizens and the challenge of last mile connectivity in the city.
Senior citizen Rudrappa Patil, a resident of J.P. Nagar, came to his daughter’s house in Mathikere on Monday morning. He took the metro and got down at the Yeshwantpur station, planning to take a bus. However, he realised later that the bus stop — Yeshwantpur TTMC — was over a kilometre away and he struggled to make the journey on foot. “I did not realise the two are so far away. I usually take an autorickshaw from the metro station to my daughter’s house,” he said.
People who landed in the Majestic hub either on trains or KSRTC buses, faced an almost complete absence of private fare transport. Though BMTC buses and Namma Metro services were available just a stone’s throw away, many were not happy taking that option, mainly as they were carrying luggage. “It is very difficult to go into a subway, climb up a bridge, get down, catch two buses or a metro, and later again a bus carrying such bulky luggage. That is why we prefer an autorickshaw or a cab to go home. But nothing is available,” rued Najundaiah, who returned to the city after a trip to Raichur.
J.S. Naik, advocate by profession and a resident of Vidyaranyapura, said he usually takes an auto to the metro station and commutes by metro to work and home everyday. “But on Monday, I left home to the metro station in my car. But parking slots of most metro stations were already full and there was no space available. I checked at three metro stations on the route. Many had parked in the residential bylanes, but I was scared to do as the traffic police may clamp the car. So, I ended up making the full trip to the office in my car,” he said.
