BMTC - Public service

Namma BMTC!

8:45AM of 11th Dec'2013

I am on a bus enroute HAL from Kadugodi direction. Bus N0. KA01F1497. 

BMTC complaint # 5818 against Fine receipt # 27685 ->via BMTC Line: 1800 4251663

This the 3rd incident on a BMTC and this time I could not stand quite. The incidence is as follows.

This Lady conductor is slow in issuing tickets to passengers, But driver as usual was very fast to reach his destination or destiny.

Ticket checking inspectors from #BMTC enter the bus @Whitefield .

One of them in the front door and another in the rear end. As usual, to show his authority he shouts at the conductor lady to get her daily note of issued tickets which she has not yet updated, as she is still issuing tickets.

She runs from the rear end to the front side to reach this abusive inspector of BMTC and submit her note. In reality she was shivering and she could not gather her voice to respond to this guy. Can't believe what culture they have in BMTC other than abusive behavior.

The checkers starts checking the tickets from both sides and finally reaches a female passenger who was still holding money to buy the daily pass in her hand to commute. Unfortunately she was too decent and non-kannada speaking girl.

Then starts the abuse from one of the inspectors, asks the conductor why the ticket is not issued. Conductor lady said she has not yet finished issuing tickets yet.

Then he start at the passenger asking her to pay up a fine of Rs.120/- as she is not having the ticket. She was very polite and told him that she is still waiting for the pass to be issued as the conductor only issued the tickets and not the passes. Conductor lady might have thought people buying passes can be attended later as is the case generally in BMTC buses, as they want to make every short distance travelers pay first not even missing a single living being from leaving the bus without paying.

Then since she started asking for pass and not fine, the abusive guy started abusing. He took away the Rs.100/- she was holding for pass and held her at ransom without returning it to her. forcing her to pay up another Rs.20/- as the fine amount. Lot went in the next 20mins from Whitefield to Kundalahalli signal.

Then I interfered and asked who gave the right to you guys(Ticker checkers) to be abusive and force someone to pay on the spot. Even traffic cops give 15 days and to pay in court and also give a chance to explain ones side of argument. Also they are not allowed to take law in their hands when it’s a female they are charging unless there is a lady officer. Also if documents missed you can always produce in the court and get the fine waived off within 15 days of charging.

So now what are the so called powers of a BMTC inspector? 

Can he drag a female into police station without presence of a lady officer? 

At least this applies to Police force. So what laws govern BMTC officials? Anyone knowing can throw some light on this since BMTC has not made any attempt to make this sink into the passengers brains.

Can he threaten the passenger to drag her to police station if they don’t get their way?

Can he abuse a female passenger in kannada once he knows that the lady wont understand what he says? 

Has the state govt given them this much power already? Without training and proper implementation these kinds of dictatorial powers in lower grade public servants becomes destructive. Both for BMTC as an organization as well as the society.

I step in and asked him to issue the fine and walk away. Conductor lady said just issue the pass and he threatened her that he will collect the fine from her if this passenger wont pay up. The conductor also changed the tone and said she either didn’t hear the passenger if she asked for pass or she didn’t ask at all. So case being so, the BMTC ticket checking guy started again and I argued with him and another colleague of his about their jurisdiction and procedure. He was reluctant to speak about that. Then I told the lady passenger to not to pay and stand her ground. But then when the other guy threatened her to dragging to police station, she succumbed and paid the find and took the receipt. I took a copy of the same too for my filing. Guess this guy has a MBBS degree where he learnt this handwriting though he was not interested in writing the passengers information on the receipt.

Picture below.

So then I called the BMTC customer service line and inquired about the procedure. The lady on the other side said they cannot force but have to collect fine. I also checked if they can abuse and threaten in collecting fines.  I also asked her what powers form the state govt..,  gives them the right to abuse and threaten? Are they here for public service or publice abuse? They are a non-profit organization solely created for public service and not to abuse citizens and passenger the user and non-users alike of the services of BMTC. The customer care person promised that the said depot manager will be informed and action will be taken against the inspectors. Since so far they have not got a single record of trust from me, I am on social media. Reporting the issue.

I cannot be a spectator when my Bangalore City is going so pathetic on the peoples behavior. I believe in Social media and here is my post against the abusive nature of Public service personnel.

 Peoples stand: (After the entire issue got over, fine paid and checkrs getting down)

Male #1: The cant speak kannada and come here without buying tickets and argue with officers. I know also know the law.

Female #2: She didnt ask, conductor didnt issue. fault is on both sides.

Male #3: I am sitting here all this while and i know she didn't deliberately buy tickets.

Male #4: She must've bought her tickets before checkers came in. its her fault.

Female #5: They cant speak kannada. why is she even arguing with the officer?

What BMTC says?
 http://www.mybmtc.com/sites/default/files/Citizen%20charter-2013.pdf 

2. BMTC’s DECLARATION OF COMMITMENTS TO ITS PATRONS
AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC :

 To provide affordable, reliable, safe, punctual and efficient public transport
to all sections of society in Bangalore Metropolis.
 To offer a commuter friendly, responsive and courteous service to all its
patrons.
 To keep the interest of the commuters as paramount in the corporation’s
scheme of things.
 Ensure full implementation of special measures like seat reservations to
physically challenged, senior citizens and ladies in its buses.
 To provide latest information regarding its services to the general public
through an efficient passenger information system. 
To ensure clean and hygienic conditions of the buses.
 To ensure exhibiting of simple and clear destination boards on all buses.
 To continue with passenger friendly initiatives like subsidized student passes,
senior citizen passes, modestly priced Day and Monthly passes.
 To contribute its might in furthering social causes like eradication of polio,
AIDS, Cencer etc.,
 Reviewing and realigning of its services to suit the changing demand for
public transport.
 Keep striving for constant improvement of services and work towards
achieving maximum public fulfillment.