BMTC suspends nine officials for taking bribes from drunk electric bus drivers in Bengaluru
Bengaluru : The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has suspended nine officials, including the depot manager, after a sting report revealed that several electric bus drivers under the influence of alcohol were being allowed to operate buses in exchange for bribes.
According to sources, drivers at Depot-35 (Kannahalli) were regularly reporting to work after consuming alcohol. Instead of taking disciplinary action, officials allegedly accepted bribes ranging from hundreds to thousands of rupees from over 150 drivers, permitting them to operate buses and endangering passengers’ lives.
As per BMTC regulations, every driver reporting for duty must undergo a mandatory breathalyzer test. Any driver found intoxicated should be immediately suspended. However, officials at the depot reportedly ignored these safety rules and allowed drunk drivers to take the wheel for personal gain.
The malpractice came to light after a TV9 Kannada investigation aired on October 13, prompting BMTC to initiate a departmental inquiry. Following the probe, the corporation took swift and strict action against the guilty personnel.
Those suspended include Depot Manager M.G. Krishna, Traffic Inspector Srinivasa D., E.S. Arun Kumar, Junior Assistant Pratibha K.S., KSRTC Havildar Manjunath M., and police personnel Manjunath S.G., Chetan Kumar, Puneeth Kumar, and Lakshmi K.
BMTC officials said the decision was made to send a strong message that corruption and negligence will not be tolerated, especially in cases affecting public safety.
The incident has sparked serious concern, as 33 people have died in accidents involving BMTC’s electric buses over the past months. Despite repeated safety advisories, several lapses in monitoring and enforcement continue to plague the transport body.
Officials said the corporation is tightening checks to prevent recurrence and ensure that all drivers undergo proper alcohol screening before being assigned duty.
