BHOPAL: Buses, magic vans and other public transport vehicles may soon get a green signal to use the BRTS corridor. Acting on directives of the MP urban development minister Jaivardhan Singh Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) would allow such public transport vehicles to ply in the corridor.The facility would be open provided the vehicles comply with basic standards like installing GPS tracking, speed governors and have CCTVs. Uplink facility for the same is being upgraded by intelligent control and command centre (ICCC) where monitoring takes place."We are looking at the modalities of allowing other public transport to ply with the BRTS," said BMC commissioner, B Vijay Datta. BMC owned subsidiary Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL)-run buses only ply within the 26 km corridor which connects Bairagarh to Misrod. Last month, a plan for permitting school and college buses was made public. However, it has been a non-starter. Private operators association is to further hold deliberations with the BMC.BRTS in Bhopal is underutilised, Jaivardhan Singh had stated during a programme last week. Bus rapid transit system or BRTS became operational in 2011. BMC had then assumed that the service would eliminate the competition from other private operators and they would remain only in the feeder routes.Unhindered progression has dent BCLL bottom-line. As things stand, going by BCLL estimates, around 4,000 vehicles (large and small) operating sway more than 80% the business. Compared to this, BCLL is currently a loss-making entity and its fleet of around 200 buses has run its course. The service is in need of an upgrade. BRTS network too needs repairs as per BCLL report submitted to BMC council in July 2018.

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