BMTC drivers put passengers’ lives at risk; buses claimed 7 lives between July 18 and Aug 20

BENGALURU: Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus drivers are putting the lives of passengers at risk due to their negligence.

A video of a woman, her hand caught between doors in an electric bus and being dragged even as she was screaming for help, has gone viral on social media. The driver closed the door without waiting for a woman to board the bus.

The BMTC driver knew the woman was trying to board the bus but still closed the door and moved ahead slowly, causing her hand to get stuck. If the woman hadn’t pulled out her hand quickly, she would have fallen under the bus and potentially gotten crushed under the wheels. Luckily, the woman escaped serious injury.

Such incidents reveals the carelessness of BMTC drivers. On Wednesday, a man who was trying to board a BMTC electric bus, died after coming under its wheel in 4th Block in Jayanagar on Wednesday.

The deceased, identified as Sampangi (64), was trying to board the bus when the driver closed the door. Sampangi’s hand was stuck inside while he was hanging outside. As the bus moved forward, he fell and came under a wheel and died on the spot.

The BMTC’s irresponsible behaviour towards passengers is becoming a major cause of accidents. The combination of passengers’ haste. The negligence of BMTC e-bus drivers is becoming a growing concern, with accidents on the rise.

BMTC buses are the primary mode of transportation for Bengaluru residents, with thousands of people commuting daily. However, the increasing number of BMTC bus accidents has raised concerns among citizens. The transport utility has provided training to its employees to prevent these accidents and issued guidelines that need to be followed.

The BMTC is the number one transportation system used by Bengaluru residents, with 7,000 buses operating daily and carrying 3.5 to 4 lakh passengers. However, recent accidents involving BMTC buses have resulted in fatalities, causing panic among citizens.

Between July 18 and August 21, a total of seven fatalities have occurred due to BMTC bus accidents. These incidents include:

1. July 18: A bank employee Suma died after a BMTC bus ran over her at Peenya Bank. The accident occurred due to the conductor driving the bus instead of the driver.

2. July 22: A woman named Valiamma, who was a pillion rider, died after a BMTC bus hit her two-wheeler at the Silk Board metro station.

3. July 29: A person named Devendrappa died after a BMTC bus hit him at Peenya 2nd stage.

4. July 30: A person died after a BMTC bus hit their two-wheeler at Chamarajpet.

5. July 30: An elderly woman died after being hit by a BMTC electric bus at Madivala.

6. August 13: A person named Syed Jafar died after a BMTC bus hit an auto at Rupena Agrahara bus stand, and he came under the wheel.

7. August 19: A person named Roshan died after a BMTC bus hit his bike at Sanjaynagar.

8. August 20: A passenger died after being hit by a BMTC bus at Jayanagar while trying to board the bus. The driver closed the door on the passenger’s hand, causing them to fall under the bus.

BMTC has taken steps to prevent such accidents by providing training to its employees and issuing guidelines.