Shocking: BMTC takes off 1,000 buses off road for Indira Canteen, Cong convention

The latest report has conformed that BMTC re-routed 1,000 buses to the National College Grounds The BMTC offical said that the Corporation has earned Rs 1 crore from this decision But low frequency of buses has caused inconvenience to people in Bengaluru

In yet another case of using government office and service for Siddaramaiah's populist scheme, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has pressed whopping number of its public buses for government's Indira canteen inauguration and convention of congress vice president Rahul Gandhi at National College Ground.      

The BMTC officials say that there was demand from various Congress party leaders seeking their buses to ferry slum dwellers and Congress supporters from various wards. As a result 1,000 buses were taken off from their regular routes.

"In return for re-routing 1,000 buses on rental basis, BMTC has received Rs 1 crore revenue," said a senior BMTC official.

When asked about the inconvenience to the public and daily passengers caused by this move from BMTC, the official said, the buses were taken off the routes only for few hours and not the entire day. Once the event gets over, the buses will go back on its allotted routes.              

Lashing at this illogical attitude of the BMTC, State government and political parties, Vinay Srinivasa, member of Bengaluru Metropolitan Bus Passengers Forum said, "If out of 6,200 buses, 1,000 buses are taken off the road, imagine the condition of daily commuters who depend on BMTC services only. Currently, there is a shortage of buses and there is a demand from many areas to increase the number of buses in various routes. Instead of allotting public service buses, the event managers should ask leaders of political parties to arrange private buses for such events".

Echoing similar sentiments CV Ramanagar MLA and BJP leader S Raghu said, "The buses are taken off the roads during peak hours. Due to this, senior citizens, students and office-goers have suffered a lot."