Can’t read Kannada? Don’t ride BMTC

Can’t read Kannada? Don’t ride BMTC
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: For those using public transport, the scene is all too familiar. Each time a bus arrives at the bus stop, anxious commuters - young and old, some lugging heavy bags - run to the bus to find out the destination, and then with a disappointed look, they trek back to where they were standing. The act is repeated again and again till they find the right bus.

In cosmopolitan Bangalore, where over 60 per cent of the population comprise outsiders, the routes of BMTC buses are displayed only in Kannada.

It’s a question of convenience versus local sentiments. But what do bus commuters have to say?

“Whether we like it or not, we have to accept the fact that Bangalore has more non-Kannadigas than Kannadigas. I can’t understand how having the bus name plates in Kannada alone can help advance Kannada culture,” says Ramakrishnan, an artist who uses public transport every day.

“It’s about being practical and not something to get all emotional about,” says Suresh, a mechanic, who travels from KR Puram to Shivajinagar and back everyday.

Even Kannadigas in the city seem to agree on using English along with Kannada for the nameplates.

“The names should be written in both English and Kannada so that it can be read by a larger number of people. In fact, there are many Kannadigas who cannot read and write Kannada,” says Shashi Kumar, a photographer.

According to a BMTC official, the Corporation decided to have the boards only in Kannada following protests five to six years ago by Kannada organisations like Kannada Kria Samtihi and Kannada Sahitya Parishad demanding that the boards should be displayed only in Kannada.

“Since then the guideline at BMTC has been that while the numerals can be displayed both in Kannada and English, the routes should be written only in Kannada,” he said.

According to the Assistant Traffic Manager of BMTC, BGSR Gowda, the Corporation receives many letters requesting that the names should be displayed in English as well.

“This is one of the reasons why we’ve decided to go in for the LED display in which the entire route will scroll both in Kannada and English,” he said.

“We could not display the names in both languages in the plates due to shortage of space,” he added.