BMTC passengers can’t use phone speaker

BENGALURU: You can now travel in peace without forcing yourself to listen to the loud songs on your co-passenger’s phone. As on Friday, passengers travelling by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses have been banned from playing songs on their mobile speakers.BMTC’s Managing Director C Shikha on Friday said the corporation should take steps to restrict passengers travelling on the company’s vehicles to play songs on loudspeakers.

The move came in after a Tumakuru-based advocate moved the Karnataka High Court in June this year. He filed a PIL seeking direction to the State and Centre to regulate the nuisance created by passengers playing music and videos on loudspeakers.The MD ordered that the Chief Technical Engineers and Operations Managers take necessary action to display the information by sticking the notice on the buses. 

BMTC has issued a statement stating that the passengers using public transport companies such as BMTC, KSRTC, and Indian Railways will be violating Rule 94 (1) (v) of the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Regulations Act, 1989, if they do not adhere to the rule. “As of now, we are yet to decide what action will be taken against those violating the order. This has come due to the PIL, though the order is pending,” a BMTC official said.

The petitioner in the HC case said that he witnessed the suffering of a large number of commuters who use BMTC, KSRTC and trains every day. “Some passengers have no concern about other commuters,” he had said.The petitioner wanted display boards in public transport buses and railway carriages.