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Headline: BMTC Officials Suspended Amid Bribery Allegations Related to Intoxicated Drivers
Bengaluru, India – The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has suspended nine officials following allegations of bribery related to drivers reporting for duty under the influence of alcohol. The suspensions are pending a full investigation.
The allegations surfaced at BMTC Depot-35, where electric bus drivers were reportedly arriving for work intoxicated. According to BMTC sources, the suspended officials are accused of accepting bribes, amounting to thousands of rupees, to allow these impaired drivers to operate buses, a clear violation of safety and operational regulations.
BMTC regulations mandate alcohol checks for all drivers before they are assigned routes. Any driver found to be intoxicated is to be immediately barred from driving.
This incident occurs as the BMTC’s electric bus operations are already under scrutiny. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy recently expressed serious concerns about the performance and accountability of private operators managing the electric bus fleet, citing rising accidents, breakdowns, driver strikes, and passenger complaints. He has raised these issues with the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy.
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