Karnataka’s Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh suspended a BMTC bus driver and conductor on the spot on Saturday, after witnessing the crew skip a stop despite a waiting passenger’s signal.

The incident occurred during an undercover inspection of Bengaluru’s public bus network. Wearing a face mask, Suresh boarded more than 10 BMTC buses over two hours after 7 pm to observe service quality firsthand. In one of the videos shared by the minister on his social media, he is seen confronting the bus conductor for not stopping at the Fun World bus stop. He immediately ordered officials to suspend both the driver and the conductor.

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Travelled across multiple Bengaluru routes

The minister travelled on buses covering several parts of Bengaluru, including Jayamahal, TV Tower, RT Nagar, CBI Road, Bellary Road, Hebbal, Bhoopasandra, Manyata Tech Park, Nagawara, Hennur and Byrathi. He reportedly purchased tickets for each journey and interacted with fellow passengers to understand their experiences with BMTC services.

The exercise exposed more than one lapse. After the bus inspection, the minister reportedly took an autorickshaw driver which charged Suresh six rupees over the metered fare of Rs 30. When questioned, the driver admitted that the meter required recalibration, according to a Deccan Herald report. The minister eventually paid Rs 40 before leaving.

No change, asked to get off the bus: Report

According to the DH report, a BMTC conductor also allegedly asked the minister to get off the bus after he presented a Rs 100 note to purchase two tickets. The conductor reportedly said he did not have sufficient change and insisted that passengers without the exact fare should alight. Without revealing his identity or arguing, Suresh quietly got off the bus.

The inspection comes as the Karnataka government has been stressing improvements in public transport services, with the minister’s unannounced visit aimed at assessing commuter experience and identifying operational shortcomings on the ground.

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