Bengaluru transport officials suspended amid bribery scandal involving drunk bus drivers: Report

Bengaluru's BMTC has suspended nine officials amid allegations of accepting bribes from intoxicated bus drivers.

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has suspended nine of its officials after allegations surfaced that they accepted bribes from bus drivers who reported to duty while under the influence of alcohol.

The suspensions of transport officials in Bengaluru are temporary while an internal investigation is conducted.(Screengrab (Reddit), Unsplash/_am)

According to BMTC sources, the suspensions are temporary pending a detailed internal investigation, said a report by The Hindu. The issue reportedly came to light at Depot-35, where several drivers operating electric buses were allegedly allowed to work despite being intoxicated.

A senior BMTC official said the inquiry was initiated after it emerged that some depot staff had been accepting cash amounting to several thousand rupees from these drivers in exchange for clearing them for duty. This is a serious breach of safety norms, he said, adding that every depot is required to carry out breathalyser tests, and anyone found drunk is to be immediately disqualified from driving.

The revelations have raised further questions about the oversight and accountability within BMTC’s electric bus operations, which have already been under the scanner. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy recently criticized the functioning of private operators running e-buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, citing frequent technical failures, road accidents, and growing passenger grievances, the report said.

In a letter to Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy, Reddy flagged persistent operational lapses and emphasized the need for stricter supervision and enforcement of safety regulations.

The ongoing inquiry into Depot-35 is expected to determine how widespread the misconduct was and whether systemic lapses enabled such violations within the corporation’s network.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.