Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Monday, October 14, hit out at BJP MP Tejasvi Surya, former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai, and Yulu co-founder RK Misra for demanding privatisation of bus services in Bengaluru. “Those who speak of ending BMTC’s monopoly are speaking for private firms, not commuters,” he said.
The Minister said that public transport was a welfare service, not a business, and must remain under government control to serve the needs of ordinary citizens.
Speaking at a press conference following remarks made by Tejasvi Surya, Mohandas Pai, and RK Misra during a symposium organised by MoveInSync, the Minister accused them of lacking an understanding of how public transport functions. “They have never travelled by public transport. They believe they have solutions for every issue in society without subject knowledge,” Reddy said.
He defended Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) as the “lifeblood of Bengaluru,” which caters to nearly 48 lakh passengers every day, about one-third of the city’s 1.44 crore population.
No private operator could match its reach or service commitment, he said. “Public transport is a key pillar of the welfare state and cannot be seen merely as a business where private operators run only profitable routes. Across the globe, public transport systems are not run for profit but for people’s convenience and accessibility.”
The Minister argued that privatisation would hurt low and middle-income commuters who rely on BMTC for affordable mobility. “Private bus operators are profit-oriented and will only operate on lucrative routes. BMTC, on the other hand, functions on the service principle, ensuring even unprofitable routes are covered for public benefit,” he added.
Reddy also cited Karnataka’s superior bus density compared to other states, saying, “Karnataka has 3.81 buses per 1,000 people, while Tamil Nadu has 2.70 and Maharashtra only 1.32. The national average is 1.2.”
Speaking on the success of the Congress government’s Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel for women across Karnataka, he said over 570 crore women had benefited so far. He also cited a study which showed women’s workforce participation increased by 23% in Bengaluru and 21% in Hubballi since the launch of the scheme. Around 19% of women who were previously confined to their homes have begun working, directly contributing to the state’s economy, he said.
Questioning the “invisible hands” behind efforts to discredit public transport, Reddy said speeches at private forums often “speak negatively” about government systems to push privatisation. “This dirty, capitalist mentality insults the poor, the workers, and the middle class who depend on BMTC buses every day,” he said, reiterating that the government would continue to strengthen the public transport network as a social service rather than a profit-making venture.