Didn’t the government see this coming? The city ground to a complete halt on Monday, and no-one can predict when it will end as thousands of BMTC and KSRTC staff refused to lower their demands for a pay hike and struck work, leaving office-goers stranded. While the Siddaramaiah government pressed private buses into service to ease the pain, the day was marked by a major rush for the metro, and people falling back on their own vehicles to get to work, or hailing autos and taxis that, predictably, indulged in daylight robbery. At rush hour, the roads were even more impassable that normal. Isn't it time, the government instituted a Pay Commission that is the protocol that governs all government services like the IAS, asks Team DC.
While the strike by BMTC and KSRTC staff hit normal life across the state on Monday, its impact was felt more in Bengaluru where over 1.50 lakh commuters travel by public transport buses every day. Although the government had made sure there were additional trains running with more stops enroute, in addition to thousands of private and mini buses, the strike left many inconvenienced, especially the ill and disabled.
The decision to allow the private and mini buses to ferry passengers came in for some criticism with transport officials saying they were unsure how safe they were for women and children.“Most of these vehicles don’t verify the backgrounds of their drivers and conductors,” noted one officer.
The state government’s decision to announce a holiday for schools and colleges also did not go down well with parents, with many pointing out that students of most private institutions in the city did not depend on BMTC buses to get to their schools . “But still a holiday was announced for them arbitrarily. Now we are hearing that school buses could be used to run regular public service,” deplored a parent, Shridhar Bhat.
Live class via Twitter
Not letting the indefinite strike called by BMTC and KSRTC staff come in his way, a professor of the Shri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain University in the city held a class live via Twitter for his students, who did not want to miss it on Monday. Prof. Sachin Tantry, head of the department of arts at the university, took the class online via the Periscope App, a live streaming Twitter app.
More stage carriers to operate
The state transport department has decided to allow 87,500 stage carriers and special permit vehicles to operate across the state from Tuesday. "This is eight times the number of buses operated by the BMTC and KSRTC. We want to ensure that the people don’t face any inconvenience due to the bandh,” said an officer. State transport commissioner, Ramegowda said he had written to his counterparts in Andhra, Telangana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala to operate their respective buses in the border areas for the convenience of passengers from the state.
School/ college vans/ buses to ferry passengers?
The state transport department is considering extending the holidays for schools and colleges and diverting their buses to ferry the public "There are around 1,000 school vans and buses in the city, which can substitute for BMTC buses," noted an officer.
Work from home option
While attendance was thin in both government and private offices in the city, some private companies allowed their employees to work from home.
“Not all unions wanted to strike”
Although many BMTC and KSRTC drivers and conductors supported their unions’ demand for a bigger wage revision, they admitted the strike was causing ordinary people a huge inconvenience. “It is the rampant corruption in the procurement section and in appointments that has led to the losses in the transport corporations. But it is unfair to hold passengers to ransom for this,” agreed a driver, adding that not all unions in the corporations wanted to go on strike.
“Of the six unions in both corporations, only two were keen on the strike. But now it has been imposed on everyone,” explained another driver, adding that the staff couldn't be blamed for wanting a better salary or more facilities such as an improved mediclaim policy. “These demand are natural in any organisation. The state government should have taken the staff into confidence before revising our salaries,” he added.
Buses parked at Koramangala bus depot during the bus strike in Bengaluru (Photo: R. Samuel)
Students vent their anger
Christ University students took to social media to express their anger against their administration for not announcing a holiday as told to by the state government. Many students used their Twitter handle to hit out at the management and point out that the official communication was for "all government and private schools to be shut for 2 days."
But according to sources, classes were not mandatory for the Christ students. "Although the university did not announce a holiday, it does not mean it wanted all the students to attend classes compulsorily. Nothing was imposed on us," said one student, taking a more lenient view of the matter.
Many private schools work as usual
Many CBSE/ ICSE schools of the city did not announce a holiday on Monday and will function as usual on Tuesday too. Institutions like the Air Force School,
BGS, Dean Academy, Euro International and others worked as usual, according to parents. But other schools like Bishop Cotton, NPS, Greenwood High, Vibgyor and Inventure were closed for the day. A prominent convent school in Lakkasandra left its students confused as it decided to hold classes for the day after announcing on Sunday that it would be closed both on Monday and Tuesday.
Railways to the rescue
To help passengers inconvenienced by the bus strike, the South Western Railway on Monday allowed trains to stop at all stations in the city enroute to their various destinations at the request of the state transport department. Accordingly all mail/express trains touching Baiyyappanahalli, Whitefield, Carmelaram and Channasandra stopped at these stations in both directions. The arrangement came as a godsend for people from Whitefield, who were able to reach the city within 45 minutes even in the absence of BMTC buses.
SWR-Metro connectivity
Coming to the rescue of thousands of passengers from Mysuru heading for the Majestic and Vidhana Soudha, all trains running to and from Mysuru had an additional stop at Nayandahalli on Monday to allow them to hop on to the Metro Rail running from Mysore road to Baiyappanahalli. The arrangement also helped those travelling to Mysuru to take the Metro to Nayandahalli and board the train.
A taste of commuter train
The Mysuru - Bengaluru - Mysuru Express trains made additional stops on Monday at Chennapatna, Ramanagaram and Kengeri for the convenience of passengers hamstrung by the absence of public transport buses. The South Western Railway also operated a special train between Yeshwantpur and Tumkuru, that halted at all stations enroute. Leaving the city at 10 am, the train reached Tumkuru in just two hours. Another special train operated on the Yeshwanthpur – Devanahalli – Shiddlaghatta route to help passengers heading in this direction.
ITI semester exam postponed
The Union labour ministry postponed the ITI semester 2 examination scheduled for Monday to Tuesday. But with the strike expected to continue on Tuesday as well, the examination could be put off until it is withdrawn, according to sources.
Bangalore University exams put off
The Bangalore University has put off the undergraduate and postgraduate examinations scheduled for Tuesday, according to its Registrar (Evaluation), Prof. Suresh S Nadagaudar. "The fresh date will be notified shortly," he said.
Private buses use Govt bus stations
While KSRTC and BMTC buses stayed off the roads on Monday, private buses and mini buses were allowed to operate from their bus stations across the state to help stranded passengers. Going by state transport department officials, around 2,500 private stage carriers and mini buses operated in Bengaluru for the convenience of passengers arriving at city bus stations on night buses and trains.
Feeder auto services
Autos were stationed at all Metro Rail stations in the city to make sure that passengers had transport getting home. Interestingly, the drivers demanded just Rs.10 to Rs.25 over the meter fare from passengers instead of fleecing them as they normally would in these circumstances.
Car pooling service a hit
Carpooling services of app- based cab aggregators were in huge demand during the day as many used them as substitutes for buses, according to the service providers.
Metro Rail runs to capacity
The Metro Rail came in handy for many in the city with the ongoing bus strike and most trains ran to capacity during the day. The trains ran every five minutes to clear the peak hour rush.
Patients, disabled stranded
Tons of physically disabled people, travelling on free BMTC bus passes, were stranded at the BMTC bus terminus till evening as they could not afford autos or private vehicles. Several patients and their relatives too were stuck at the Victoria hospital in the absence of bus services. Many were seen pleading with the traffic police to help them reach home. A young girl, Kavyashri from Maddur in Mandya district, approached the police at the BMTC bus terminus for help to get to Narayana Hrudayalaya where she was due for an interview as auto drivers were demanding a fare of Rs 600 to take her there. The police helped her hire an auto charging the meter fare.
