JOIN USChaos at bus station over BMTC passes
City students are upset with BMTC which they say is delaying the issue of bus passes.
Metrolife visited the BMTC bus station in Majestic in the wake of student complaints.
Dozens of parents and students were running around to get their work done. Confusion is in the air since part of the process was automated online. Many women had come with their children, hoping to take home bus passes. Rama (name changed) says BMTC officials use any little excuse to deny a pass. “They say the school has not stamped the seal properly on my younger daughter’s photo. There is no problem with another application for my older child. Starting all over again with a fresh application means a lot of time wasted,” she says.
Officials are not sympathetic to those who don’t understand technology, many complain.
“They should be patient enough to take us through it. Yelling at us is no way to go,” Rama says.
A BEd student says she was asked to get off the bus when she told the conductor her pass application was pending. She attributes it to confusion created online.
“There is no provision for BEd and such courses under the professional courses category online. July 8 is the last date to apply. What do students do if BMTC does not update its site in time?” says Nalini, Bangalore Central
University student. She says the process chaotic and nothing is clearly mentioned.
On the website, only medical and engineering are mentioned under the ‘professional courses’ category. As a result, Nalini ends up spending Rs 120 on bus fares every day. She travels between Majestic and Ramasandra.
Metrolife checked again and found that there is a provision available for BEd and other professional courses now.
Kanika, who just finished her 12th standard, says conductors don’t let her travel even she shows her college ID and application receipt.
Kavita, who travels from Yeshwanthpur to Malleswaram, says her friends who take the Hebbal and Yelahanka route suffer more.
Browsing centres
According to BMTC, commuters can themselves apply online and submit the application. They do not have to pay any money online. Many commuters at the Kempegowda bus station told this reporter browsing centres were charging Rs 150 just to fill an application form.
“Not all of us have access to printers to print out the application. Reaching out to browsing centres is the only option,” a parents says.
When Metrolife asked BMTC officials about the problem, they said there was no need for print-outs.
BMTC take
Officials say all they need is an application number after students have applied online. About 50 centres across Bengaluru issue bus passes, he told Metrolife.
Conductors not aware
BMTC has announced students can travel with their old passes till July 8 but many conductors are not aware. Several pass-holders told Metrolife they were being asked to buy tickets or get off the bus because of the confusion.
Technical glitches
Students complain the website often hangs and asks them to start over