As a result of a two-day protest by garment factory workers, Bengaluru, especially Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has incurred crores of loss.
Not only did they lose out on revenue, the bus transport system took a major hit after buses were gutted at the protest sites. Many protestors were also seen throwing stones at public transport on the road, which brought the services to a halt.
With over 80 KSRTC and 50 BMTC buses damaged, according to BMTC the total loss incurred might go up to Rs 4 crore, reported TNIE.
According to TOI reported Rs1.66 crore losses was incurred by BMTC because of cancellations alone and over Rs 60 lakh was accounted as revenue loss.
According to Renukeshwar B C, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations) at BMTC, one bus was gutted while two were partially damaged when protesters set them on fire. Another 31 buses were damaged after protesters pelted stones at them.
“Each BMTC bus costs Rs 30 lakh. So we lost close to Rs 1 crore just from the damage,” he said
“After protesters set a bus on fire at Peenya, traffic was jampacked and fire personnel could not reach the spot,”he added.
Other incidents like the damage at Hebbagodi police station and over 81 policemen injured in two days has also added to the losses.
Police commissioner N S Megharikh said that the policemen also hesitated to disperse the crown as 80% of the protestors were women.
“But we used force to disperse the crowd after 2pm. Police fired one round at Jalahalli Circle when a mob picketed the police station.”
Thirty CAR, 52 KSRP platoons were used and 100 rounds of tear gas were fired since Monday. Bengaluru police is also arranging for more Rapid Action Force personnel from Coimbatore.
In order to stop anymore disruptions, Dr. G Parameshwara, Karnataka home minister has imposed section 144 in the city's sensitive regions on Wednesday.