Metro feeder buses gain riders, but BMTC struggles with funding and tech delays

Daily ridership touches 1.5 lakh as Namma Metro expansion boosts last-mile demand; lack of financial support and NCMC rollout remain key challenges

The rapid expansion of Namma Metro has significantly increased demand for first- and last-mile connectivity, pushing BMTC’s dedicated metro feeder (MF) services to new highs. Daily ridership on these feeder buses has now reached 1.5 lakh commuters, an increase of nearly 50,000 passengers compared to last year, reflecting growing reliance on public transport integration.

To meet rising demand, BMTC has expanded its feeder fleet from 180 buses to 236, operating 70 routes with 2,993 daily trips. At present, 55 of the city’s 83 metro stations, about 66% of the network, are connected through dedicated feeder services.

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Officials say feeder routes are mainly aligned with stations on the Purple and Green Lines, where ridership is higher. The most heavily used feeder corridor is MF-5, which connects Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal (SMVT), Byappanahalli and SV Road Metro station on Old Madras Road with Central Silk Board, operating 25 schedules daily. This is followed by VMFIC, linking KR Pura Metro station to Central Silk Board with 22 schedules, and MF-12, connecting Vijayanagar to Banashankari TTMC with 13 schedules. Another feeder operates between Jalahalli Metro station and BEL Circle, with eight schedules.

While feeder services have expanded steadily, 28 metro stations remain without dedicated BMTC feeder connectivity. According to BMTC officials, many of these stations are located in Central Business District (CBD) areas, which are already well served by regular BMTC routes. Other constraints include the absence of parking bays, unsuitable approach roads, and road widths that cannot accommodate city buses. BMTC has stated that station-specific feeder services will be introduced if fresh demand emerges.
Plans to introduce mini-buses to improve connectivity in constrained areas, however, are yet to be implemented.

On the financial front, BMTC continues to face difficulties. The corporation has repeatedly sought viability gap funding from Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), as most feeder routes operate at a loss. Although BMRCL had indicated that the issue would be taken up with the state government, no financial assistance has been extended so far. During the metro fare hike in February 2025, BMRCL had stated that higher fares could help support feeder services, but this has not translated into funding.

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Another major concern is the absence of a common mobility payment system. More than two and a half years after Namma Metro launched the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC), BMTC buses still do not accept it. Commuters continue to express dissatisfaction over the lack of a unified payment platform and incentives for seamless multimodal travel. BMTC officials have clarified that NCMC integration will only be possible after upgrading to new electronic ticketing machines (ETMs).