BMTC, KSRTC grapple with misuse of disability cards

Last year, the BMTC caught around 100 able-bodied people in this connection

A few government officials, too, have been caught using these cards.

Bengaluru: The BMTC and KSRTC have been grappling with the growing problem of able-bodied people availing subsided services offered to people with physical disabilities.

Last year, the BMTC caught around a 100 people in this connection. “Usually, our conductors are reluctant to ask passengers, who show the pass for disabled, for the certificate because it is a sensitive issue,” said an official.

However, in view of the misuse of the disability card, KSRTC’s Security and Vigilance wing will be writing to the Directorate for Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizens to vet disability claims thoroughly before providing certificates.

“People are abusing the system,” said a KSRTC official. “This is causing a huge loss to the exchequer. Doctors should understand the gravity of the problem before issuing the certificate,” said B.N.S. Reddy, director of security and vigilance, KSRTC.

Rajender Kumar Kataria, Managing Director, KSRTC, added that instructions have been given to all the depots to conduct checks regularly.

An individual with 40 per cent disability or more can get the certificate from district hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs). This document is signed by the respective district disability welfare officer. A person with a disability can obtain an annual pass for Rs. 660; it is free for the visually challenged. The maximum charge for a regular monthly bus pass is Rs 2000.

A few government officials, too, have been caught using these cards. Since 2014, the police have registered cheating cases against five officials, including a government college lecturer and teacher, based on complaints by the KSRTC. The charges against them were misuse of disability certificates and availing subsidised bus passes.

“Most of the cases were in Mandya, Tumakuru and Chikkamangalur districts. Government officials are not entitled to get these passes as they get separate conveyance. But while obtaining the pass from our staff, they had given an undertaking that they are not government officials,” said a KSRTC official.

G.N. Nagaraj, president, Karntaka State Disabled and Caregivers Federation, said that corruption in the issue of disability certificates should be eliminated. “Proper standards for assessing disabilities should be fixed and doctors should be trained in the same. Its due to a doctor’s mistake that such certificates are provided to people who don’t deserve them,” he said.