Bengaluru bus terminals crowded as people head home to cast vote

Bengaluru: With the long weekend ahead, tens of thousands of people from Bengaluru were on Wednesday heading to their hometowns to cast their vote, leading to big crowds at bus terminuses across the city. Taking advantage, private bus operators were trying to fleece passengers, but the Regional Transport Office put a check on them.

“From Wednesday to Sunday, we have a long weekend and in between we have the polling. It's the best time to go back to our hometowns to cast our votes and to enjoy the holidays. But, government-run bus services are few and private operators are trying to fleece us. They have almost doubled the fares,” complained Sachin Kamath, who was travelling to Udupi.

The RTO put out a message, saying that passengers who were planning to travel to their hometowns to cast their votes found private bus operators overcharging, they could complain to the regional transport authorities. Till Wednesday evening, RTOs had booked over 50 cases against private operators for overcharging.

“During special occasions and long weekends, private bus operators increase fares. Passengers who come across such cases can reach our authorities by phone or email. They will have to mention the name of the operator, time and the route taken, along with the fare charged. We have already started the raids which will continue till Saturday,” said an RTO official.

According to reports, nearly 10 lakh people from coastal regions work in Bengaluru, but still have their names in the electoral rolls back home.

Sources in cab unions said that most of the cab drivers too have gone back to their hometowns to cast votes, and there will be a shortage of cabs in the city on Thursday.