Polling duty: BMTC services hit as 1,700 buses deployed, lends 350 vehicles to KSRTC

Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) services were hit on polling day as the public transporter deployed 1,700 out of 6,850 buses for poll duties and a further 350 vehicles for KSRTC.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which lent 4,100 buses out of a total 8,100 buses in its fleet for election work, hired 350 BMTC buses to be run on intercity routes, especially places like Mysuru, Mandya, Maddur, Tumakuru, Pavagada, Chitradurga and Hosadurga, on Wednesday morning.

"There was considerable demand for buses in the morning. Most of the travellers were headed to their hometowns to cast their votes," a KSRTC official said. In Bengaluru, the BMTC ran bus schedules as per the demand. "There wasn't much demand due to the public holiday," a BMTC official said.

Endless wait

The Majestic and Shivajinagar bus stands wore an empty look with more passengers and no buses. Commuters complained that they had to wait anywhere between 45 minutes to two hours to get a bus.

Syed, a vendor in Shivajinagar, said, "The BMTC bus services was affected on May 9 and 10. I have to travel quite a distance. I can't afford any other mode of transport and I had to wait for two hours to get a bus."

Echoing similar sentiments were Bowring Hospital employees Eranna and Kalyani, who said they had to work even on election day since they were deputed in the emergency section.

"I commute from JP Nagar. I have to return to vote, but I don't think I will make it in time because there are no buses plying in that direction. I hope I don't miss my chance to vote," said Eranna.

Kalyani said she missed her bus to KR Puram. "I have to wait another two hours to catch the next bus."

Vasanthnagar resident Pavithra, who works in an office near Shivajinagar, pointed out that commuters usually get a bus every 15 minutes between Vasanthnagar and Shivajinagar. “Today, it took more than an hour for a bus to arrive,” she said.