Senior Citizens: Rights on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC)

Recently, I found that several of my older friends are unaware of their rights on Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).So I decided to clarify about this.

Here is confirmation that BMTC offers discounts of 25% to Senior Citizens.

.BMTC cites 60 years, though the Hindu report cites 65 years.

 

The fact, however, is that most conductors do not give the Senior Citizen discount unless one is aware of one’s rights and asks for it. So…keep your id cards handy, and insist on your right if you are entitled to the discount.

 

Here’s the extract from the BMTC charter:

 

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iii) Concessional travel facility to Senior Citizens (on tickets and pass rates) a) 25% concession on ticket rates to persons having attained an age of 60 years and above in compliance of Government directions.

b) 10% concession on Monthly Commuter Pass rates to persons having attained an age of 60 years and above. Introduced in the year December 2006 to mark the Golden jubilee of Karnataka.

This scheme is an exclusive initiative of BMTC.

Note : Personal documents such as Voter ID card, Driving license, Pan card, ID card issued by KSRTC etc are honoured for substantiating age claim.

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Reservations of seats on buses:

 

Here’s the extract from the BMTC Charter:

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i. Reservation of seats to special categories of commuters eg : ladies, senior citizens, disabled persons.

BMTC keeping in view the constraints faced by traveling women, aged and disabled persons reserves certain number of seats to them in all its ordinary buses to make their journey comfortable. The category wise reservations are as below.

Category No. of seats Ladies 16

Seats in the front portion of all Ordinary buses are earmarked for ladies. These seats are indicated as reserved by exhibiting “Ladies Only” stickers on them.

Senior citizens

6 seats in all ordinary buses are reserved for Senior Citizens – two of the 16 reserved for females are earmarked for senior female commuters and two seats near center door for male senior citizens.

Disabled persons

One seat each near the front and the rear doors in all Ordinary buses and two seats near the middle in Vajra Servicesare reserved for Physically challenged persons. These seats are identified with a notice “Physically Challenged Persons” pasted on the respective windowsills.

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The ladies’ seats reservations are, in general, well observed, but the reservations for the physically disabled, and the senior citizens, are a joke. No passenger ever gets up from one of these, and when I request for the Women’s Senior Citizen’s seat for an elderly lady, I have actually been abused by conductors…who are supposed to be the ones who should ask the person occupying the seat to get up, and help a Senior Citizen get the seat reserved for them.

 

So…Senior Citizens….be aware of your rights, and insist on them when travelling by BMTC.

Comments:

  1. Radhakrishnamurty says:

    I am a senoir citizen. Conductors give a concession of Rs. 2/ only and not 25%. So, if the ticket is produced on which less than 25% concession is given, how does BMTC help the passenger and correct the conductor?

  2. Ganga Madappa says:

    MR Radhakrishnamurty, the next time that happens you could perhaps place a complaint. You can email BMTC on complaints@mybmtc.com or call them on 1-800-425-1663 (Toll Free No) or Control Room – Ph: 22952422 and 22537522. Alternately you can also file your grievance on their website: http://www.mybmtc.com/customer/support-en/. They have an option to where you can file a senior citizen complaint

  3. Msingam says:

    should one have only ID card issued by KSRTC to claim senior citizen concession on BMBMTC / KSRTC or can one use Pan Card

  4. Deepa Mohan says:

    I’ve found, the few times I’ve been asked for the card, my driving licence, or the senior citizen card issued by the BBMP, works fine.In fact, the BMTC website clearly states that any of these should be accepted as a proof of age by the conductor. I do not have a BMTC Senior Citizen card yet.

  5. vijaya yh says:

    Please let me know whether my father whos has completed 60 years, who is residing with me at Bangalore, who is having voter ID card/ Driving License issued in the state of AndhraPradesh,is entitled for senior citizenship concession in KSRTC/BMTC buses.In case the same is not accepted what are the steps i have to take

  6. Deepa Mohan says:

    Your father is eligible, and should ask for the discount before paying for the ticket. He might have to get a Senior Citizen card issued, either from BMTC or BBMP,but I have only once in a year of travelling as a Senior Citizen, been asked to show my card. I’ve had one issued recently. His driving licence (which has an all-India validity) should be adequate

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