Bus strike in Bengaluru leaves commuters stranded: Fewer BMTC buses, higher fares & long waits across the city; details here

Public transport services across Karnataka were heavily disrupted on Tuesday after employees of all four state-run road transport corporations—KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC, and KKRTC—began an indefinite strike. The protest began despite the Karnataka High Court issuing an interim stay on the agitation just a day earlier. The strike affected cities including Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, and Chitradurga, among others, leaving thousands of regular passengers without any reliable commuting options.


In cities like Bengaluru and Mangaluru, commuters struggled to reach their destinations. With government buses mostly off the roads, people were forced to depend on autorickshaws, cabs, and private buses, many of which reportedly increased their fares significantly. Autorickshaw drivers in Bengaluru were accused of charging excessive rates, while cab aggregators and private operators reportedly capitalised on the situation. Some rural regions saw limited bus movement as a few employees continued to operate buses, especially to help school-going children.



Despite the strike, BMTC in Bengaluru managed to operate over 3,000 buses by Monday morning. Of the scheduled 3,121 services, 3,040 were functional as of 9 a.m., according to officials. However, intercity and long-distance travel remained severely affected, pushing a huge number of commuters toward Majestic Metro Station, where unusual crowding was reported. The limited BMTC services failed to meet the rising demand, particularly during peak travel hours.


The strike was called by the Joint Action Committee of Transport Unions, demanding:

• Payment of pending salary arrears worth ₹1,785 crore, covering 38 months.
• Implementation of a 25% wage hike, effective from January 1, 2024.

Although Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offered a partial settlement of ₹718 crore, covering 14 months’ arrears, the unions rejected it, calling the move insufficient. They have also demanded that the wage hike be enforced until at least 2027, sticking to their original demands despite the court’s interim stay.



To manage the growing impact on daily life, authorities requested IT companies in Bengaluru to allow employees to work from home to reduce commuter load. Meanwhile, security was tightened across Karnataka to ensure peace and prevent escalation. Bus depots remained largely inactive with vehicles parked and services disrupted. A few buses operated in rural belts, reportedly to serve school children and local routes.

Despite court intervention, Karnataka’s bus strike continues, heavily affecting commuters, and talks between unions and the government remain deadlocked.