'Bus Bhagya' campaign receives a shot in the arm

People from different walks of life on Saturday expressed their solidarity with the ‘BusBhagyaBeku’ campaign, demanding more buses and reduction in fares.

Musician Bruce Lee Mani, Kannada actor Shraddha Srinath, garment and construction workers, street vendors took part in the campaign, organised by the Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) and Citizens for Bengaluru (CfB), to coincide with the monthly ‘Bus Day’. The volunteers stormed Majestic, Koramangala, Jayanagar, Shivajinagar and Banash­an­k­ari bus stands and shouted slogans like ‘Bus Bhagya Be­k­u’, ‘Ticket Ardha Maadi and Bus Double Maadi’. Later on, they submitted a memorandum to officials at BMTC head office in Shantinagar.

Srinivas Alavilli of CfB demanded that the funds meant for the scrapped steel flyover project be diverted to improve the public transport. The massive public support is an indication that people want more buses and affordable service, he added. Those who want to support the campaign can give a missed call to 08030474774. BMTC Chairman Nagaraj Yadav said that efforts are on to add 3,000 more buses to the fleet and added that the corporation cannot reduce fares for now.