The Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) batted for augmenting the strength of the BMTC bus fleet as an effective transport solution and as an alternative to building a 92 km-long network of elevated corridors. The vedike, on Saturday, held a public discussion – ‘Elevated Corridors: the need for alternatives’– which saw experts on mobility, city planning, urban commons and law interact with citizens on the ambitious project that will criss-cross the length and breadth of the city.

Shaheen Shasa, from the vedike, argued that buses can be a game changer and an answer to Bengaluru’s congestion woes. “BMTC, with 6,200 buses, has a ridership of 45 lakh,” she said.

She proposed a five-point action plan, which included increasing the capacity of BMTC, creating more space and prioritising buses on the road, improving connectivity, including last mile connectivity, and reducing bus fares.

Vinay Sreenivasa, an advocate and member of the vedike, argued that the proposed corridor violated several laws including the Karnataka Tree Preservation Act, 1976; Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961; the 74th Constitutional Amendment as well as several High Court and NGT orders regarding impact assessments and due process. He demanded a cumulative EIA, looking at the larger impact of all parallel projects being planned instead of piecemeal impact assessments for each project separately.