Volvo bus topple leaves driver, passengers injured; BMTC union flags concern

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A Vayu Vajra Volvo bus plying under the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) toppled near Palace Guttahalli Flyover near the BDA head office, leaving one passenger and the driver injured.

The incident occurred around 12.15 am while the bus was operating from HSR Layout to the Bengaluru airport. While the lone woman passenger suffered minor injuries, the bus driver was injured in the head.

All eleven passengers and the injured are in stable condition while the driver is undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

The cause of the incident has not yet been identified, but the BMTC union member flagged a concern citing the staff are working extra hours and operating under severe pressure.

Speaking to News Trail, one union member, who didn’t want to be named, said the staff is under huge pressure as they have been asked to go on unpaid leaves and work extra hours.

“We have been told that the cause of the accident was that the driver was feeling dizzy. While that can be true, we also would like to address that despite several attempts, our concerns are not met. We are facing hardships to work with bus depot managers asking us to take unpaid leaves and work beyond our strength. It is a fact that we cannot even question them as we will have to face disciplinary actions. We do not want to land in such a situation and miss out on opportunities to bring food to our plates”, the source said.

Despite the staff and the department awaiting funds, the Congress government’s free bus ride scheme has dealt a severe blow, where all the four RTCs have sought a claim of Rs 250 crore to compensate for the cost incurred for the free travel scheme between June 11 and June 30.