Representative image | Photo credit: Getty Images
Following a public outcry over tobacco advertisements on state buses, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Friday ordered all road transport corporations in the state to immediately stop serving tobacco advertisements and remove those already displayed.
In an official communication issued to the CEOs of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, the minister directed that the directive be implemented with immediate effect.
“In the interest of the public, I hereby order that with immediate effect, no advertisements directly or indirectly promoting the consumption of tobacco products shall be displayed on buses or at stops of transport companies,” Mr Reddy said in a note.
The decision comes amid growing protests by Kannada activists in Bengaluru and other parts of the state, who have recently been removing tobacco-related advertisements from RTC buses. Campaigners have argued that such ads encourage tobacco use and undermine public health, particularly among young commuters and everyday bus users.
Meanwhile, the issue has also drawn widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning the propriety of allowing tobacco promotion on state-run public transport.
Published – 30 Jan 2026 22:03 IST
