No Change, No Ride: BMTC Conductor Unaware He Was Dealing With Transport Minister

Karnataka Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh was asked to get off a BMTC bus during a surprise inspection after he was unable to pay the exact fare, highlighting the everyday challenges faced by public transport users.

According to official sources, Suresh boarded a BMTC bus from Hebbal to Nagashettihalli on Sunday evening wearing a face mask to avoid being recognised. The visit was part of an unannounced inspection aimed at assessing the transport department's functioning, passenger facilities, and the conduct of bus staff from a commuter's perspective.

When the conductor approached him for a ticket, the minister handed over a ₹100 note . However, the conductor said he did not have sufficient change and requested the exact fare or payment through UPI . Suresh reportedly said he could not make a digital payment. After showing that he had no change to return, the conductor asked the passenger to deboard the bus. Unaware that the passenger was the transport minister, he enforced the rules uniformly, and Suresh complied without revealing his identity.

The minister later continued travelling on different buses between 7 pm and 9 pm to observe bus services, the behaviour of transport staff, and the difficulties faced by both passengers and employees.

Reacting to the incident, Byrathi Suresh said the experience reflected the practical problems encountered by commuters and underscored the need to strengthen BMTC's ticketing system. He emphasised improving the availability of change with conductors and expanding digital payment facilities to make travel more convenient.

The incident sparked widespread public backlash on social media. While many praised the conductor for treating every passenger equally, others criticised BMTC's operational shortcomings, arguing that commuters should not be denied travel because conductors lack change and calling for systemic improvements in public transport services.