RUSH FOR PASSES: Degree college students waiting in a queue to collect BMTC bus passes at the bus stand in Shivajinagar on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BANGALORE: Students thronged the bus pass counters on Wednesday when Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) starting issuing bus passes for degree colleges students. On Wednseday alone, 10,000 student bus passes were issued.

BMTC has issued 87,478 concessional bus passes 87,478 schoolchildren since June 5.

It started issuing concessional bus passes to Pre-University Course students from June 19.

Counters

Although the BMTC has opened bus pass counters at 39 places throughout the city, a majority of students flooded the counters at the Kempe Gowda Bus Station.

Over 6,000 people made a beeline for the bus stand, said BMTC manager Nagaraj.

He told The Hindu that although sufficient counters (over 18) were set up to cater to students, the authorities were finding it difficult to cope with the demand, Mr. Nagaraj said.

A moderate crowd was seen at the Shivajinagar Bus Station on Wednesday.

As many as four counters were in operation and during the month end, additional counters were opened to cater to monthly pass issue, said Assistant Traffic Manager Jagadish.

Counters had been located at the subway of the bus station to prevent congestion near bus bays.

Although the BMTC had increased the pass rate by Rs. 15, a majority of students did not mind the increase.

`Not a serious burden'

Students and parents said the increase was not a serious burden on them as the daily routine involved travelling long distances.

The locations where pass counters will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days are: K.R.Market, Jayanagar IV Block and XI Block, J.P. Nagar, BTM Layout, Banashankari, Kumaraswamy Layout, N.R. Colony, Srinagar, MCTC (Mysore Road Bus Terminus), Electronics City, Shanthinagar, Koramangala, Domlur, Ulsoor, Neelasandra, Jeevanbhimanagar, Kalyana Nagar, Kavalbyrasandra, R.T.Nagar, Vidyaranyapura, Yelahanka, Mathikere, Yeshwantapura, Nelamangala, Nandini Layout, Malleswaram 18th Cross, Rajajinagar I Block, Basaveshwaranagar, Kamalanagar, RPC Layout, Vijayanagar, Hesaraghatta, KHB Colony, Kengeri, Chandra Layout and K.R. Puram.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail