Now Bengaluru IT employees can travel from Silk Institute metro to Electronics City for free, here’s how: Report

A new free electric bus service has been launched by BMTC and ELCITA to connect Electronics City with the Silk Institute Metro Station.

Published on: Nov 15, 2024, 15:30:16 IST

By Yamini C S

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In good news for IT employees with offices based in Electronics City, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), in collaboration with the Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA), has introduced a new electric bus service between the Silk Institute Metro Station and the tech hub that is completely free of charge. Launched on Monday, this service aims to further enhance last mile connectivity. It includes three daily trips and is designed to provide seamless transportation across the East and West zones of Electronic City, a report stated.

This initiative addresses commuter needs, supports sustainable travel, and aims to increase ridership to 300 daily as it operates three trips each day. (Pic for representation)

Officials representing ELCITA spoke to reporters on the matter and said the initiative is in response to the growing need for connectivity for daily commuters, especially IT professionals and industry employees residing in South Bengaluru. It also seeks to promote sustainable travel by reducing reliance on private vehicles and encouraging environmentally friendly alternatives, the report noted.

This is not the first effort to address connectivity on this 25-km route. In 2021, ELCITA introduced four free feeder buses when the Silk Institute Metro Station began operations. These buses have been used by 150-180 commuters daily. With the addition of the BMTC electric bus, ridership is expected to grow to around 300 passengers per day, the publication added.

The buses follow a fixed schedule. ELCITA buses leave Silk Institute Metro Station at 7:45am, 8:45am, 9:10am, and 9:30am, with return services departing from Electronics City in the evening at 4:45pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, and 6:20pm. Meanwhile, the BMTC bus departs at 8:15am and 5:15pm for morning and evening services, respectively, the report further stated.

An ELCITA spokesperson explained that while they initially proposed revenue services by BMTC, the plan fell through. Instead, ELCITA opted to charter an electric bus from BMTC under a two-month casual contract costing over ₹6 lakh. The service, however, is expected to cease once the Yellow Line Metro from RV Road to Bommasandra becomes operational, the publication said.

To further enhance connectivity, ELCITA has proposed six additional feeder routes from Konappana Agrahara and Infosys Metro stations to connect commuters with the upcoming Yellow Line.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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