While Bengaluru’s transition to electric buses marks a bold step toward sustainable urban mobility, a spike in fatal accidents is triggering growing alarm. In the last financial year alone, BMTC’s electric buses were involved in 11 fatal and 18 non-fatal accidents. In 2025, 18 more incidents have already been reported, including six fatal crashes — three of which occurred in July.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) currently operates 1,500 e-buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, leasing buses and outsourcing driver recruitment and training to private operators. Nearly 3,000 drivers are employed under this arrangement, raising serious concerns over their preparedness and safety training.
BMTC’s Chief Traffic Manager (Operations), GT Prabhakar Reddy, stated that while the corporation doesn’t recruit drivers directly, it sends them to city traffic police’s training centres. BMTC conductors have also been asked to monitor driver behavior and report violations. A ₹50,000 penalty is levied on operators in case of a fatality.
Ground feedback paints a grimmer picture. A conductor shared that many e-bus drivers have backgrounds in goods transport and struggle with passenger driving in Bengaluru’s congested roads. Large wage disparities with BMTC drivers also contribute to high attrition rates.
Commuters report rash driving — abrupt turns, sudden acceleration, and even passengers being thrown from seats. Technical breakdowns are another issue, with 12 e-bus failures in July alone, leading to prolonged delays.
E-buses accelerate faster than diesel ones, often catching bikers and pedestrians off guard. “The reaction time is lower, and if the driver’s not alert, it’s dangerous,” said Shriharsha, a regular commuter.