BENGALURU : Students from across the state have upped the ante over the issue of free bus passes following the budget announcement on the same. In the city, however, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is no position to turn this into a reality without the government sanctioning as much ` 350 crore, say sources.
As of now, BMTC has issued around four lakh bus passes for students. However, these passes are already subsidised. For student passes, the government already pays 50 per cent of the total amount, which roughly amounts to `250 crore, BMTC pays 25 per cent of the share, which amounts to around `40 crore, say sources. The remaining 25 per cent is borne by students.
Students are demanding that even this 25 per cent be waved off. "As of now, I don't think fully free passes can be issued for students if the government does not sanction the amount," says a BMTC official.
Added to this, BMTC has been running at a loss for the past few years. The corporation has suffered losses upward `200 crore in the last two years. However, students and activists say this isn't reason enough. Vinay Srinivas, Bengaluru Bus Prayaanikara Vedike, an NGO that deals with urban mobility issues, highlights that public transport should be viewed from the lens of social good rather than through profit or loss.
When we talk about police stations, one does not look for whether it is a profit or loss-making enterprise. It is for the people. Many can't access facilities because they can't afford transport," he says. The state government should help BMTC and make enough budgetary provisions, Vinay adds. "When the government can spend ` 15,000 crore for elevated corridors and `26,000 crore for phase 2 of the Metro, it can definitely give `1,000 crore to BMTC to help them provide free passes for students," adds Vinay. He also says that the attention given to transport-related issues is disproportionate. "BMTC caters to around 52 lakh people, whereas the Metro caters to 5 lakh people. However, the expenditure does not reflect the ground reality," he adds.