Bengaluru: A Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) passenger has accused a bus conductor of forcing them to get off a bus on a highway after a dispute over ticket payment triggered by a malfunctioning ticketing machine.

The incident, shared on social media, has sparked criticism of BMTC’s handling of digital payments and passenger safety.

Ticketing machine failure led to dispute

According to the passenger, they boarded BMTC bus KA 57 F 6018 at around 7.50 am from Hegondanahalli to Varthur Kodi, where the fare was ₹18.

The passenger claimed they was ready to pay through UPI, but the conductor’s electronic ticketing machine was not functioning.

After several unsuccessful attempts to process the payment, the conductor allegedly asked for cash. However, the passenger only had ₹100 and ₹500 notes, and the conductor reportedly said he did not have sufficient change.

The passenger requested the conductor to wait briefly until the ticketing machine resumed working, but the request was allegedly refused.

Passenger claims they were forced off the bus

In the social media post, the passenger alleged that the conductor became aggressive, shouted at them, stopped the bus and ordered them to get down in the middle of a highway.

Calling the experience “extremely unsafe and humiliating”, the passenger argued that they should not have been penalised for a technical issue involving BMTC’s ticketing system.

The passenger maintained that they had been willing to pay the fare and only wanted to receive a valid ticket through the available digital payment system.

Social media users urge formal complaint

The post has attracted widespread attention online, with many users urging the passenger to lodge a formal complaint with BMTC.

Several commenters said passengers should not be forced to deboard because of faulty ticketing equipment or the conductor’s inability to provide change. Others referred to previous incidents involving disputes over cash and digital payments on BMTC buses, calling for better passenger handling and improved ticketing infrastructure.

BMTC has not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of writing.