BMTC suspends driver, begins inquiry

BMTC suspends driver, begins inquiry

Deccan Herald

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has initiated an inquiry against the driver who is said to have triggered off Wednesday’s violence and placed him under suspension.

More than 40 vehicles, including nine police vehicles, were damaged in violence that broke out in Goraguntepalya near Peenya in Bangalore after an altercation between a traffic police sub-inspector (SI) and the bus driver on Wednesday.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, BMTC Managing Director Upendra Tripathi said Wednesday’s incident has brought to light the need for not only sensitising the drivers of public transport vehicles but also road users in general. Taking the side of his staff members he said the drivers faced a lot of stress while driving buses inside the City limits due to vehicular density.

He said the only option, to avoid such episodes to recur, was to dedicate a separate lane or road for public transport vehicles and restrict the three wheeler traffic on certain roads in the City as advised by the Task Force Committee. He said that two wheeler traffic also need to be streamlined. Drivers of the public transport buses have to catch up with their scheduled time while ferrying passengers.

Joint Commissioner of Police Narayan Gowda said totally 14 cases has been booked in connection with the Wednesday’s episode.