BMTC To Connect South, North, East And West Bengaluru Rural Areas With Direct Buses Under 80 Km Plan

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is set to expand its bus services beyond Bengaluru's traditional city limits, in a move aimed at improving direct public transport access to surrounding rural and peri-urban areas. The BMTC has decided to extend its operational coverage from the existing 40-kilometre radius to nearly 80 kilometres, allowing thousands of daily commuters from Bengaluru Rural district to travel to the city without multiple transfers.

Officials say the expansion is designed to benefit students, office-goers and patients who travel into Bengaluru for education, work and medical services on a daily basis.

The proposed routes will improve connectivity to rural towns located in different directions around Bengaluru.

• Ramanagara - South-West of Bengaluru (towards Mysuru Road)
• Kanakapura - South of Bengaluru
• Nelamangala - North-West of Bengaluru (Tumakuru Road side)
• Hoskote - East of Bengaluru (Old Madras Road side)
• Devanahalli - North-East of Bengaluru (Airport side)
• Doddaballapura - North of Bengaluru

Direct buses planned from key city hubs

Under the new rollout, BMTC will introduce direct services from major city terminals to important towns on the outskirts. These include:

Satellite Bus Stand (Mysuru Road) to Ramanagara

Banashankari Bus Station to Kanakapura

Kempegowda Bus Stand (Majestic) to:

• Nelamangala
• Hoskote
• Devanahalli
• Doddaballapura

At present, many commuters from these regions are required to change two or three buses to reach central parts of Bengaluru. With the new services, passengers are expected to be able to complete the same journey on a single direct bus, reducing travel time and improving reliability.

Transport planners say the initiative could also reduce dependence on private vehicles among rural residents, potentially lowering daily commuting costs.

Current BMTC operations and expected impact

BMTC already operates one of the largest city bus networks in the country. The corporation currently runs approximately:

6,750 buses per day

Covering nearly 13 lakh kilometres daily

Serving over 45 lakh passengers every day

With the service expansion into rural belts, officials expect daily ridership to increase further in the coming months.

Parents and student groups in Bengaluru Rural have welcomed the move, noting that direct bus connectivity to colleges and training centres in the city could improve both safety and punctuality. Working professionals are also expected to benefit, particularly those who commute from satellite towns but rely on multiple connecting routes.

Urban mobility experts believe that distributing commuter traffic across extended routes may help ease congestion along certain entry corridors into the city during peak hours.

BMTC officials say the expansion is part of a broader effort to improve access to essential services for residents living outside Bengaluru's municipal limits. Direct connectivity to the city's education institutions, employment hubs and healthcare facilities is expected to become more seamless once the services are operational.

With services now formally reaching deeper into Bengaluru's rural regions, the expansion is being seen as a key step towards integrating urban and rural mobility through public transport. Further route announcements are expected as implementation progresses.