Bengaluru: Daily commuters travelling between Tumakuru and Bengaluru’s Electronics City are welcoming the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation’s (BMTC) newly launched direct Vistara AC bus service, saying it has significantly reduced travel time and eliminated the need for multiple bus changes.
The new 101-km route, operated via NICE Road, is currently BMTC’s longest bus service and is benefiting hundreds of IT professionals and other passengers who commute between the two cities every day.
Direct service saves commuters up to an hour
Launched on Monday, the Vistara AC bus departs Tumakuru at 7.45 am and reaches Electronics City by around 9.45 am. The return service leaves Electronics City at 5.45 pm and arrives in Tumakuru at approximately 9 pm. The one-way fare has been fixed at ₹200.
Regular commuter Thejaswini K N said the direct service has transformed her daily journey. Earlier, she had to change multiple buses—from Tumakuru to Arasinakunte, then to Madavara, and finally a BMTC bus to Electronics City. The new service now saves her between 45 minutes and one hour every day.
IT professionals welcome improved connectivity
Another commuter, Ajay Kumar, said hundreds of professionals travel daily between Tumakuru and Electronics City, making the direct connection a much-needed addition. He noted that the limited number of stops between Madavara and Tumakuru has made the journey considerably faster and more convenient.
Commuter Maruthi A H said passengers had been demanding a direct service for a long time. Previously, even after the opening of Madavara Metro station, buses from Tumakuru did not stop there, forcing passengers to take additional buses or use the Metro with multiple interchanges.
BMTC plans better links to satellite towns
BMTC Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) G T Prabhakar Reddy said the service was introduced in response to strong public demand and has received encouraging ridership.
He added that after the Karnataka government allowed BMTC to operate up to 40 km beyond the Greater Bengaluru Area, the corporation expanded its Vistara AC network to connect Bengaluru with satellite towns including Tumakuru, Channapatna, Chikkaballapur, Ramanagara and Kanakapura.
Passengers have also urged BMTC to introduce more long-distance direct services connecting Electronics City with other satellite towns to further improve regional connectivity.