Commuters switch to other modes as the bus strike continues

Bengaluru: Due to the bus strike, the city saw relatively fewer passengers at the bus stations. They relied on autos, cabs metro and private buses.

Namma metro witnessed a huge crowd during the peak hours and it made 289 trips in total instead of the usual 247 trips.

The transport department allowed some private buses to run without permits. It offered them parking services too. In Shantinagar, some drivers even offered free rides.

Few commuters complained that some private bus drivers were cheating them. “I had to pay Rs 50 for the trip in a private minibus, which is more than double the BMTC fare. The driver started the trip only after all seats were filled up,” said, Tulasi Ram, who travelled from Majestic to Yelahanka.

On this, KT Halaswamy, joint commissioner for transport (Bengaluru Urban) said that the commuters should complain about overcharging.

Some private operators said that as the passenger occupancy was low, they had to do some little business. Private van operator, Rahman Khan said, “We cannot run like BMTC because we don’t get any support from the government. We have to shell out thousands of rupees every month towards road tax and insurance. We faced huge losses during the lockdown.”

A few operators also resumed their services with loaded buses and tempo travellers, ignoring the Covid-19 precautions.

However, cabs and auto drivers continued their services even though they provided moral support to the strike. But several people who arrived at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) still faced problems.

In the meantime, the South Western Railway (SWR) decided to operate 18 additional trains to and from Bengaluru.