Several students, who had applied for their annual Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus passes but were yet to receive them, were left in the lurch on Friday after bus conductors refused to ferry them. In some instances, they were allegedly asked to get off mid-journey as the extended November 15 deadline allowing them to travel without a smart card had elapsed.
The acknowledgement receipt given to the student when they applied for the bus pass stated that it was valid till November 15. Some students alleged that conductors made them alight in the middle of their journey for refusing to cough up money for a ticket.
This year, the BMTC introduced online applications for bus passes for students. However, the ambitious plan to introduce home-delivered smart cards was mired in problems. Thousands of students had to go to Kempegowda Bus Stand several times to get their passes.
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A college student who applied and paid money for a bus pass on August 28 said that despite making several trips to the BMTC office, she is yet to be issued one. “More than a fortnight ago, the authorities said that my pass was dispatched, but I am yet to receive it,” she said.
Another student said that he was forced to buy a daily bus pass on Friday as the acknowledgement receipt had expired. “I told the conductor that I had paid for my bus pass, but I had not got it. However, he refused to listen and pointed out that they had received strict instructions from higher authorities to not allow students who travel only with the acknowledgement.”
BMTC officials said that they have issued 3.20 lakh bus passes for students since July. “We have cleared all the bus passes. If there are any stray cases, then the students should come to our counters to get them,” said a senior BMTC official.
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