The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation has urged the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to appoint its own drivers for electric buses and shun the current practice of hiring company drivers.
H.V. Anantha Subba Rao, president of the federation, in a letter to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, has said that this was crucial for the safety of the public and to avoid accidents.
Accidents on the rise
Mr. Rao said that in recent times, accidents involving BMTC buses have been increasing in the city, resulting in loss of life. The media is portraying it as the fault of BMTC drivers, whereas more accidents cases were reported linked to electric buses, which are not driven by drivers hired by the BMTC.
“There are certain criteria and a disciplinary framework for the drivers recruited by BMTC. If they drive carelessly, disciplinary action can be taken against them. But there are no qualification tests for electric bus drivers of private companies and they are not subject to disciplinary action,” he stated.
Mr. Rao further said that neither drivers nor driver-cum-conductors recruited by the BMTC should be sent on routes without a specific period of training. “In case of an accident, a joint committee of the management and federation should be formed to find the real cause of the same,” he demanded.
Cases of violence
“Apart from the accidents, we are also concerned about the increasing incidents of violence against passengers in private vehicles hired by BMTC. The organisation does not have the authority to take any disciplinary action against such drivers,” Mr. Rao said.
Published – September 23, 2025 11:05 pm IST
