Students who are yet to receive their smart cards or renew their previous year’s card are allowed to travel in city buses till July 8 by producing their previous year’s smart card, or producing the fee receipt for the current academic year.
This is the second time the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has extended the time period for students.
The BMTC had earlier allowed students to travel till Sunday (June 30). On Monday, conductors on many routes allowed students to travel in city buses only after buying tickets.
Extension of the date has come as a relief to students.
The Corporation, in a release, stated that it has received 76,700 online applications from SSLC and PUC students. The Corporation claims to have issued 21,600 smart cards to students at 50 counters opened at 15 locations across the city. It has advised students, who are yet to apply, to apply online as early as possible.
Woes of degree students
But the BMTC is yet to accept online applications from degree students. The students are saying that, on Monday, conductors were not ready to accept the previous year’s bus pass and insisted that they buy tickets.
“In the beginning of the academic year, we were told that the previous year’s bus pass is valid till August. But on Monday, the conductor asked me to pay the fare from Meenakshi Mall to Dairy Circle where my college is located,” said Sanjana N., student.
Another student Nikitha Hedge said, “ We didn’t know our passes would expire at the end of June. We thought that since they were issued late in 2018, they would at least last until August. This morning, I was told my a conductor that my pass is no longer valid.”
A BMTC official said, “We are aware of the issue. Degree students will be allowed to apply online in a couple of days. They too can use the previous year’s smart card for travel in city buses up to July 8.”
