As per BMTC regulations, depot authorities are required to conduct mandatory alcohol checks before assigning drivers to duty. File | Photo credit: The Hindu
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has suspended nine officials following allegations that they accepted bribes from drivers who reported for duty under the influence of alcohol.
BMTC officials confirmed that the suspension orders were issued pending an investigation. According to a senior BMTC official, the case came to light at BMTC Depot-35, where several electric bus drivers were allegedly working under the influence of alcohol.
“An internal investigation is underway into the allegation that some officials were taking bribes of several thousand rupees from such drivers to enable them to assign them service in violation of safety and operational rules,” the official said.
As per BMTC regulations, depot authorities are required to conduct mandatory alcohol checks before assigning drivers to duty. Any driver found under the influence of alcohol must be immediately disqualified from driving the bus, according to the official.
The incident comes amid an ongoing probe into the operation of BMTC’s electric buses.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy recently expressed serious concern over the “poor performance and lack of accountability” of private operators running electric buses under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model. In a letter to Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy, Mr Reddy highlighted the increasing number of accidents, frequent breakdowns, driver strikes and rising passenger complaints related to the fleet of electric buses.
Published – 06 Nov 2025 08:40 IST
