BMTC extends late-night services, but what about safety?

Bengaluru city will now run public buses up to 2.30 am on select routes.
On the one hand, female organisations worry about the safety of passengers.
On the contrary, BMTC staff also fear that they will be the target of false complaints.

On Monday, the BMTC Managing Director, Ekroop Caur, told Asianet Newsable that the BMTC would add 200 schedules dedicated for night service.

A few buses will operate up to 12:30 am, and few other will run up to 2:30 am.

Welcoming the move, Geetha Menon, from Stree Jagruthi Samithi, felt that this is a good move by the BMTC. She explained that the move would help many middle-class women who work in hospitals, garments and other sectors. Those women are currently forced to take cabs, autos and vans - risking their safety.

"The BMTC should ensure that there is no compromise on women safety. If women staff from the BMTC are allotted second or night work in these shifts, then their safety should be paramount. The real challenge is once the bus reaches the destination as the passenger has to walk home. As long they are in a group, they are less prone to attack and abuse," she said.

Shaheen, a member of the Alternate Law Forum, raised her concerns for women passengers at night. Through the sexual harassment committee of Karnataka, the forum had proposed a few safety measure like a dedicated helpline and coordination with the police during emergencies.

"If all these are in place, then the BMTC's late night and midnight services will be purposeful," said Shaheen.

The BMTC has acknowledged these fears. It has sought Rs 106 crore from the Central Government via the Nirbhaya grant to equip all buses with CCTVs.

"We have CCTVs in 500 buses. We will add more buses under the CCTV list. As we have introduced the scheme, passenger safety is our responsibility. Along with passenger safety, equal importance will be given to our staff. As a precaution against false complaints, we will not take any hasty decision," said Caur.

Anand, a member of the BMTC workers union, felt that passengers aside, even the BMTC staff were not safe. "Two years ago conductors and a driver were suspended after two northeastern women complained about misbehaviour. But in reality, those girls not only abused the driver and conductors, but also passengers. Despite the fault on the girls' side, these staff were suspended," he said.

So currently, at least in the BMTC, both staff and passengers look at the new late night service with distrust.

Last Updated Mar 31, 2018, 7:06 PM IST