The cash-strapped Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is in a fix. Several of its buses are old and in need of serious repairs. But the transport agency’s laxity in repairing faulty brakes in buses may have once again resulted in the death of two teenage boys in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Two pre-university college students were killed on Tuesday morning after being hit by a BMTC bus on Mysuru Road. The incident occurred at 8 am in the morning when Chandrakanta (16) and Yadu Kumar SY (15), students of BBMP Kasturba PU College, KB Nagar on Mysuru Road were waiting near the KSRTC Satellite bus stand trying to cross the road.
A BMTC bus travelling from Mysuru Road to Kempegowda Bus Stand in Majestic rammed into two boys after a reported brake failure. The incident took place close to Gopalan Mall on Mysuru Road.
Chandrakanth was a first year pre-university student while Yadu Kumar was a second year pre-university student and both were pursuing commerce. While Chandrakanth worked part- time at the Gopalan wall, his mother works as a domestic help. Yadu Kumar meanwhile delivered newspapers in the morning before attending college.
“They were standing on the footpath waiting to cross the road when the bus lost control and hit them,” said a police official at Byatarayanapura. Police officials at the station are investigating the case and an FIR will be registered after a preliminary probe, police said.
Students of BBMP Kasturba College staged a protest on Mysuru Road along with the families of the victims demanding that action should be taken on those who caused the accident.
Speaking to media, BMTC PRO Deepak said that the transport agency was looking into the incident. He said that the bus in question had travelled close to 5 lakh km.
“A week ago, the bus driver had entered in the drivers’ log book that the bus’s brakes need to be replaced. BMTC always tell the drivers that they do not have money for repairs. The brakes were just cleaned and not changed. When he complained that it was risky, he was asked to drive slowly,” said Nagaraj, a BMTC driver, who is also a member of the All India Trade Union Congress.
Sources in the BMTC say that 40% of the buses have travelled 4 to 6 lakh kilometers and are in dire need of repairs and spare parts.
“This year, the government gave the BMTC Rs 100 crore. This money was used to pay off the gratuity of employees who retired two to three years ago. Still, many retired personnel need to be paid their gratuity and insurance money. We had asked for a Rs 3,000 crore grant from the government. There is no money to buy spare parts, let alone get buses repaired,” a senior BMTC official said.
The bodies of the students were shifted to Victoria Hospital. BBMP Mayor Gangambike Mallikarjun has announced a compensation of Rs. 10 lakhs for both families of victims.
ccording to a study by Underwriters Laboratories and World Resources Institute, from 2010 to 2017— a total of 306 fatal accidents had occurred involving BMTC buses. But majority of the accidents (91%) had occurred while passengers were getting on and off the bus.
