Bengaluru. 12th February 2024. In the run-up to the Karnataka Budget 2023-24, Greenpeace India and Slum Dwellers Federation submitted a letter to the Chief Minister of Karnataka Sri. Siddaramaiah, demanding an increase in the BMTC fleet size and a dedicated public bus transport fund. Both organisations also sought several other interventions that would strengthen the public transport system and provide relief to the city’s traffic-congested roads. 

While congratulating the Karnataka government for achieving an important milestone by implementing the Shakti scheme, Greenpeace India and Slum Dwellers Federation said that the current fleet size of BMTC which is less than 6200 buses is highly inadequate to meet the demands of nearly 30 lakh daily BMTC commuters. “The Shakti scheme is an excellent initiative by the government. This scheme needs to be extended to include all women and transgender persons. Prioritising investment in a strong public transport system contributes to alleviating Bangalore’s traffic issues and reducing carbon emissions, thus contributing to build a sustainable city that is more inclusive of everyone’s needs” said  Sharat M.S Campaigner at Greenpeace India. 

Greenpeace India and Slum Dwellers Federation have demanded the Chief Minister increase the fleet size of BMTC to 10,000 buses by adding 4000 new buses for 2024-25.  Besides this, they have urged the Chief Minister to dedicate a separate public bus transport fund in the upcoming state budget 2024-25 to improve the overall public bus transportation infrastructure in the city including bus shelters, bus depots, and bus lanes. The organisations also reiterated their long-lasting demand and insisted the transport ministry implement the 10 bus lanes proposed by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and resume the bus lane on Outer Ring Road. 

Focusing on the significant challenges of daily commuters, John Samuel President of Slum Dwellers Federation said that “Our bus is our right. The issues of the lack of accessibility, overcrowding, unreliability, safety of women and trans persons, lack of bus stops and quality bus shelters need to be addressed on priority”.  

Other demands

Greenpeace India & Slum Dwellers Federation mentioned the following points in a letter submitted to the Chief Minister of Karnataka, and requested to consider the following recommendations during the upcoming state budget 2024-25, to achieve inclusive, affordable, accessible, safe, efficient and reliable bus-based public transport in Bengaluru city.

  1. Free Bus Travel : The Karnataka government should extend the scheme for free bus travel to cover non-local women, people with disabilities, senior citizens, and students.
  2. Reserve seats and make bus transport free for the trans community which includes both transmen and transwomen.
  3. Start special feeder buses exclusively for women and other sexual minorities.
  4. Sustainable Transportation Fund: The Karnataka government must create a dedicated fund for sustainable transportation for the city of Bengaluru to prioritise decongestion by reinforcing bus transport, cycling and NMT(Non Motorised Transport). This is to ensure an efficient transportation system that prioritises people, not private vehicles. 
  5. Bus Stop facilities: Provide sufficient budget to ensure bus stops have proper shelters with amenities like toilets, public announcement, drinking water, information display system and CCTV cameras. More inclusive bus shelters need to be installed which should be gender-friendly, disabled-friendly and provide caregiving facilities for mothers.
  6. Introduce safety measures like panic buttons, women’s helpline numbers, LED lighting at bus stops etc to make bus transportation safe for women.
  7. Employee welfare: Employee welfare is critical in building a people-friendly bus transport system. Contractual workers which include drivers and conductors should be offered permanent employment.  Drivers should be entitled to fair compensation for their services. Also, more women bus drivers and conductors should be inducted and infrastructural facilities like restrooms should be made available for them at every bus depot and at various bus stops.
  8. Taxation: Introduce polluters pay principle and add additional registration fee on four-wheelers, congestion tax, green tax, advertising revenue on transit corridors etc.
  9. Levy Road charges for big cars (SUVs) with less than 3 passengers.
  10. To improve the financial viability of public transport, the state government could provide tax concessions to all public transport systems including paratransit.
  11. Low Emission Zones: All Transit Oriented Development (TOD) zones (as per the Transit Oriented Development Policy drafted by DULT) and major city centres should be declared as Low Emission Zones (LEZ). This is in view of improving the air quality standards and reducing carbon emissions. 

For more information contact

John Samuel (Slum Dwellers Federation) – 9845084468
Sharat M.S. (Greenpeace India) – 9342507396