Bengaluru: The State budget has been slammed by public transport advocacy group Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) for failing to allocate funding to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Committee (BMTC) and for sidelining its demand for free transportation for women commuters.
In a statement, the group said that the budget evokes a deep sense of betrayal for the common people of Bengaluru. Ordinary people and their daily concerns or survival linked to mobility have not been given their rightful attention by the government. There was no mention of bus transport, no allocation of funds for BMTC (the city’s lifeline) and no reduction of fares for the common people, nor free travel for women and other vulnerable communities.
It further stated that it is also deeply disturbing to note that misplaced focus on roads and metros continue to drive the budget and public spending priorities on mobility. These infrastructure and investments don’t serve the common people. They don’t address the problem of congestion either. These kinds of projects are not being solutions for the majority of the city. Yet, these expenditures capture the budget allocations and investment disproportionately. Unless the government recognises this flawed agenda on mobility and spends on people’s mobility and buses, the city’s mobility crisis or economic crisis will not end.
BBPV had requested that the government allocate Rs. 1000 Crore annually to the BMTC ahead of the Karnataka budget so that bus rates could be reduced for the general public and made free for women, transgender people, and senior citizens.
“For mobility which common people can use and afford in the city, today’s budget turned out to be a major dampener. The crisis of poverty in Bengaluru and in urban areas, in general, have aggravated post the pandemic and the lockdown. Surveys have shown middle-income families falling into lower income levels. It is also well known that in conditions of increased vulnerabilities, it is the women and the girl children and other vulnerable communities who face the worst impact and deprivation. Based on the widespread concerns we saw and the report of the jury as well, BBPV had campaigned for reducing fares, making travel free for women and allocating Rs 1000 crore to the BMTC to implement these,” it added.
