The Bangalore Bus Prayaanikara Vedike (BBPV) on Friday started an online signature campaign to persuade the State government to launch ‘Bus Bhagya’.
The government should allocate Rs 1,000 crore to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to help it recover losses, buy new buses and reduce the bus fare.
With the grants, the BMTC can reduce fares, buy 2,000 new buses, settle long-pending salary, PF, ESI and insurance dues of its workers, the BBPV said.
BBPV members said that like other welfare schemes, the government should introduce a ‘Bus Bhagya’ scheme. Besides, the BBMP should be allocated Rs 300 crore to build bus shelters in this year’s budget.
The BBPV further said the government should meet the BMTC’s capital expenditure, leaving the corporation to manage only operational costs.
The group said that apart from exorbitant ticket fares, there were several issues that bug the BMTC such as the many bus stops without shelters, overcrowded buses.
Besides, BMTC workers are not treated well—their PF, ESI and insurance dues are not cleared and women staff do not have enough restrooms.
In less than two hours of its launch at Majestic, more than 400 people signed in support of the campaign for the Bus Bhagya scheme.
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