Keep your umbrellas open inside BMTC buses, say angry commuters

Commuters on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation are having a nagging problem on most of the buses of the corporation’s fleet.
BMTC bus seats drenched with rain due to leaks in the bus roof | Express
BMTC bus seats drenched with rain due to leaks in the bus roof | Express

BENGALURU: Commuters on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) are having a nagging problem on most of the buses of the corporation’s fleet. The buses leak inside in heavy rains, giving no respite for the commuters from the rain.“I came from Chamarajanagar to Kengeri in a train on Monday evening. Then, I boarded a BMTC bus at Kengeri bus stand to my residence at Chikkallasandra in a hurry as there were heavy rains. But, I realised that I should have brought an umbrella to protect myself from the rain even inside the bus,” said Siddappa, a regular BMTC commuter.

Rainwater leakage from the roof ventilator and along the beading lines inside the BMTC bus during rains is found to be a common occurrence, and with monsoons just round the corner, this problem is expected get the goat of the city’s regular bus commuters. “Commuters normally hesitate to complain to the BMTC on such apparently trivial problems inside the buses during rain. But it is the duty of the BMTC to provide better service to commuters. Most of them are poor or middle-class people, and if they are charging a commuting fare, there should be no deficiency in service,” said Siddapa.

What is especially irritating for the tired BMTC commuters is that they feel the bus would shelter them from the rains; but let alone failing at that, the leakage does not even offer them a dry seat as the water leaking from above occupies the seats before them, said Sampath Kumar, another regular BMTC commuter. 

Prameela N, another commuter, said most commuters who travel by buses are the tired ones at the end of the day. “We feel that getting a seat would offer some relaxation until we reach our destination. But that is not possible in these kind of buses,” she said while pointing at the leaks in a bus plying between Majestic and Shivajinagar.  

A senior BMTC official told The New Indian Express that they have addressed the rainwater leakages in buses by installing roofing mats, besides planning 2,000 news buses which are to be introduced. “It is rare to hear such complaints. Frankly speaking, the complaints are almost nil. Despite that, we will ask all concerned to take care, in order to avoid such complaints and ensure quality service for commuters in our buses,” the official said. Whether that is an assurance or not, BMTC commuters are dreading the coming of monsoons, and the wet rides in store for them if the official’s words doesn’t see the light of day.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com