Lodge plaints and rest assured, BMTC addresses them

Most bus commuters in the City may have found themselves at the receiving end of unruly BMTC drivers or conductors.

They may have come to believe that taking their grievances to the City’s transport behemoth about the staff’s unbecoming conduct is like talking to a sleeping giant with no redress in sight and totally pointless and futile.

But, it’s now time to change their preconceived opinion on taking things lying down and stoically accepting it as everyday rigours of commuting travails.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is taking cognisance of complaints commuters take the trouble of registering with it and is ensuring that the complaints are adequately and appropriately addressed at the earliest.

BMTC, it is learnt, receives around 500 to 600 complaints from commuters weekly through their websites, call centres and control rooms.

The nature of complaints mainly range from misbehaviour, physical assault, cancellation of trips, change in route or destination, not stopping at designated bus stops, not tendering the exact change, not issuing tickets and the like.

Action based on severity

According to Assistant Traffic Manager (Traffic) Shymala S, the moment a complaint is registered, BMTC officials look into the complaint and based on its severity, an inquiry is held against the driver or conductor involved and action taken forthwith against them if the allegations are found true.

The punishment for drivers and conductors may lead to their suspension, shifting to a different depot or a change in route.

According to BMTC data, from June till date, they have issued warnings to almost 20 drivers and conductors regarding their improper behaviour with the public. While one was suspended for 10 days, four were shifted to different depots and 11 of them given a different route.

It seems all it takes for daily travellers on BMTC buses to do is to lodge or log in their complaints and action is sure to follow to make their travel on buses much more safer, secure and also comfortable.