Karnataka bans tobacco-related advertisements on RTC buses after public backlash

Following public outrage over tobacco-related advertisements on State-run buses, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday directed all road transport corporations in the State to immediately stop carrying advertisements linked to tobacco products and remove those already displayed.

In an official note issued to the managing directors of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, the minister instructed that the directive be implemented with immediate effect.

“In the interest of the public, I hereby direct that, with immediate effect, no advertisements directly or indirectly promoting the consumption of tobacco products shall be displayed on buses or at bus stands of the transport corporations,” Mr. Reddy stated in the note.

The decision comes amid growing protests by Kannada activists in Bengaluru and other parts of the state who have recently been removing tobacco-related advertisements from RTC buses. The activists have argued that such advertisements encourage tobacco consumption and undermine public health, particularly among young commuters and daily bus users.

Meanwhile, the issue had also triggered widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning the propriety of allowing tobacco promotion on public transport operated by the State.