With Bengaluru’s urban sprawl extending far beyond its core, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is preparing a significant expansion of its city bus services.
The proposal, recently cleared in principle by the BMTC board, seeks to extend coverage up to a 40 km radius from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) boundary, compared to the current limit of 25 km, Times of India reported.
If approved at the government level, this expansion will take BMTC buses deeper into suburban and rural areas, covering Ramangara, Kanakapura and Magadi taluks in Bengaluru South, as well as Devanahalli, Doddaballapura and Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural.
(Also Read: Bengaluru ORR faces week-long traffic restrictions amid BlackBuck’s Bellandur exit. Check details)
Future phases may extend services up to Malur and 10–15 km beyond Anekal, close to the Tamil Nadu border, the report further added.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the move is a response to rapid urbanisation and growing commuter demand.
Currently, BMTC operates around 250 buses on long-distance and express routes, connecting towns like Magadi, Doddaballapur, Chikkaballapur, and areas beyond Devanahalli.
The ambitious expansion will be powered by the induction of 4,500 electric buses under the PM-e-Drive scheme, which will increase BMTC’s fleet from 7,000 to over 10,000 buses.
{{/usCountry}}The ambitious expansion will be powered by the induction of 4,500 electric buses under the PM-e-Drive scheme, which will increase BMTC’s fleet from 7,000 to over 10,000 buses.
{{/usCountry}}The move, however, may have ripple effects on the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which currently operates express services to several suburban areas.
Bengaluru expansion
Under the new Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) framework, the Karnataka government has initiated sweeping administrative and governance reforms aimed at managing the city’s rapid expansion and infrastructure strain. The GBA, established in 2025 under the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, has replaced the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) as the primary civic authority.
As part of this transformation, Bengaluru is being divided into five municipal corporations, Central, North, East, West, and South, each under the oversight of GBA, to improve efficiency, decentralise decision-making, and bring governance closer to residents.
The GBA’s jurisdiction now spans over 700 sq. km, with provisions to expand further, potentially including peripheral villages and suburbs into its fold to ensure urban planning, transportation, land use, and civic services are better coordinated across the entire metropolitan region.
(With agency inputs)
(Also Read: Bengaluru sees heavy overnight rain, traffic snarls as IMD issues yellow alert)