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Karnataka state-operated bus strike disrupt normal lives; joint action committee to decide future course of action

Karnataka state-operated bus strike disrupt normal lives; joint action committee to decide future course of action

BENGALURU: Normal lives were disrupted as the state-operated bus services- Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), and North Western Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) buses didn't get on the road from Tuesday morning. Hundreds of passengers were found stranded at Kempegowda Bus Stand (Majestic), Satellite Bus Station on Mysore Road, and Shantinagar Traffic and Transit Management Centre (TTMC).
In the absence of BMTC buses, autos were fleecing customers. Those who had to head to work had to pay the exorbitant fare demanded by autos. People who couldn't miss their hospital check-ups and visits said they had no option but to pay through the nose to the autos.
Some of the office-goers said they had to walk to metro stations and then reach their offices. With no transport options, some of the workers said they took leave on Tuesday.
Also, those who had to head to the airport to catch flights were found knocking at the door of ride-hailing private apps, and said that compared to the charges in BMTC's Vayu Vajra, the cost of cabs was almost three times higher.
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