People demanding privatisation of BMTC have never used public transport: Karnataka Minister

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has criticised calls by Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai to end the monopoly of Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) on city bus services. The Minister said that public transport is a welfare service and must remain under government control to serve the interests of the common people rather than profit-driven private operators.

Responding to remarks made during a symposium organised by MoveInSync, where Mr. Surya, Mr. Pai, and Yulu co-founder R.K. Misra suggested privatisation of city bus services, Mr. Reddy held a press conference on October 14 and said those proposing such ideas ‘have never travelled by public transport’ and ‘lack basic understanding of how it functions’.

“They speak of ending BMTC’s monopoly without any real experience of using public buses. They believe they have solutions for every issue in society without subject knowledge,” Mr. Reddy remarked. He added that BMTC plays a crucial role in providing affordable transportation to labourers, office workers, and lower- and middle-income groups across Bengaluru.

Highlighting the success of the Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women across Karnataka, the Minister said, “So far, over 570 crore women have benefitted from the scheme. This shows how public transport can transform lives when driven by welfare, not profit.”

Mr. Reddy argued that privatisation would hurt the very people who rely on BMTC the most. “Private bus operators are profit-oriented, and will only run services on profitable routes. In contrast, BMTC operates on the service principle, ensuring that even less lucrative routes are covered for public benefit,” he said.

He further pointed out that no major public transport corporation in the world operates purely for profit. “Across the globe, public transport is not meant to generate revenue, but to serve people. The government has a responsibility to promote and protect public transport,” Mr. Reddy emphasised.