Passengers travelling through Bengaluru's 8th Mile area have raised serious allegations against Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus drivers and conductors, saying that many buses refuse to stop and pick up passengers during the evening hours.
The problem becomes particularly bad from around 6 pm every day at 8th Mile Signal at the outskirts of Bengaluru, where passengers heading to Tumakuru, Sira, Hiriyur and Chitradurga can't even find public transportation, the city-wide commuters said.
Some commuters said that several KSRTC buses in northern Karnataka districts have boards with routes such as “Via Tumakuru, Chitradurga” on the front of them, but even though the relevant destinations have been identified on the bus lines, passengers waiting at 8th Mile are still finding it difficult to board them. It is claimed that some buses tend to move passengers to long-distance destinations and don't pick up commuters who are travelling to intermediate locations.
In the case of buses that pass close to the signal but do not stop at the signal, passengers said it becomes frustrating when they approach the signal, even if they see people waiting by the roadside. Commuters travelling towards Tumakuru, Sira, Hiriyur and Chitradurga, in particular, ask drivers and conductors to allow them in and wait for them inside, but no one asks them to stop, and the bus will not stop there. Staff also said they are told by the bus staff to stop because they say the bus won’t stop at the location, even when there is enough room in the bus.
The problem is particularly difficult for women, elderly passengers and those who carry luggage, the report said. Passengers say they are also forced to stand next to the road for periods of time while multiple KSRTC buses fly by. With little other way to manage the problem in the evening rush, commuters say it’s causing inconvenience and safety problems.
In one recent incident, passengers reported that a woman waiting for nearly two and a half hours at the location without even being able to board a suitable bus was frustrated when buses were not stopping for her. The KSRTC bus with registration number KA 29 F 1653 was repeatedly passing without stopping, and she confronted the staff, blocking the bus, and was allowed to board it after the confrontation.
The incident has angered commuters who say this isn’t a rare incident. Passengers say that similar incidents take place regularly during the evening hours and that people are left waiting when buses carrying route boards pass through the area. They have asked why buses on those routes cannot pick up passengers at a designated or appropriate stopping point when they are in the same direction.
The allegations also lead to questions about the responsibility of drivers and conductors towards ordinary public transport users. KSRTC has a very large network of buses connecting Bengaluru to cities and towns throughout Karnataka. State-run buses are key to getting to and from the city for commuters who do not have a choice.
Passengers are now calling for KSRTC senior officials to take notice of the complaints and conduct an inspection at the 8th Mile Signal, particularly during the evening hours. They have called for checks on bus operation, stopping and the conduct of drivers and conductors associated with long-distance routes travelling through the area.
If the allegations are true, commuters are calling for disciplinary action against employees who deliberately refuse to serve passengers at the right stops. They are also demanding that KSRTC ensure that route boards are clearly displayed for services being operated and that passengers are not left stranded.
The complaints have put the gap between public transport availability and actual accessibility for passengers into focus. Karnataka has hundreds of KSRTC services, but commuters feel that the buses are not enough if they can’t get passengers to board them at the legitimate stopping points. The authorities will be looking into the matter and taking necessary action to avoid passengers going through that again in the future.
