Commuters demand free bus service for women, lower fares in Bengaluru
The Hindu
At a public hearing on bus transport, commuters say they cannot afford ₹ 1,050 for a monthly pass on their meagre earnings
On a daily basis, most of the working class people depend on buses to commute to and from their workplaces. However, travelling in Bengaluru becomes a costly affair for many as bus fares here are the highest among all major metro cities including Mumbai and Delhi. While the price of a BMTC ticket for only 5 km is ₹15, it is less than ₹10 in Mumbai and Chennai.
At a public hearing organised by the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike, citizens who depend on BMTC to commute to work demanded that the State government should provide free bus travel for women and reduce the existing fare by 50% in Bengaluru. People from various walks of life including pourakarmikas, Ashas, domestic and garment workers said that the existing fare structure is unaffordable.
Lakshmi who works as a pourakarmika said she has to spend ₹1,050 for a monthly pass to travel by bus. “I am unable to meet family expenses. It will help if the government provides free bus passes for women,” she said. Pushpa, a domestic worker, who participated in the hearing had a similar story. “I earn ₹5000 per month of which ₹1050 goes for a monthly bus pass,” she said.
As speculation over the continuation of Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare B. Nagendra in the Cabinet persisted, with the demand for his resignation raised by the BJP in connection with the ₹94 crore scam at the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, his Cabinet colleagues came to his defence on Thursday.