KKRTC conductor suspended after student issues 11 tickets on bus

What Happened

The Kalaburagi Division 1 of the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) suspended a driver-cum-conductor for leaving an electronic ticketing machine (ETM) unattended inside a bus. The bus was on the Kalagi-Kalaburagi-Mangalgi route and was parked at the Super Market City Bus Stand in Kalaburagi when the ETM was left inside the vehicle instead of being kept in the conductor’s custody. A student then used the unattended ETM to issue 11 tickets to passengers on the bus. The incident was recorded by other passengers and circulated on social media. The corporation described the conduct as negligence and dereliction of duty and suspended the conductor on Thursday under its Employees Conduct and Discipline Rules.

Following the event, the corporation held a video conference with all depot managers and traffic staff at noon on Thursday, directing staff to adhere to rules, treat passengers courteously, and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

Why It Matters

The incident prompted KKRTC to publicly acknowledge a lapse in duty and to take disciplinary action against an on-duty employee. The company also launched a process to reinforce safeguards for ticketing equipment and to standardize staff conduct across depots, signaling an emphasis on accountability in everyday operations and customer trust.

Background

The incident occurred on a bus in the Kalagi depot's route operations. The ETM was left inside the bus rather than in the conductor’s custody, enabling a student to issue tickets. The bus route affected is Kalagi-Kalaburagi-Mangalgi. Videos and social media posts captured and circulated the event, contributing to public scrutiny of KKRTC’s operational discipline.

Key Facts

• The KKRTC suspended a driver-cum-conductor after an ETM was left unattended in a bus.
• The bus was serving the Kalagi-Kalaburagi-Mangalgi route and was parked at the Super Market City Bus Stand in Kalaburagi.
• A student used the unattended ETM to issue 11 tickets to passengers.
• Other passengers recorded the incident and shared the video on social media.
• The suspension was issued on Thursday under the corporation’s Employees Conduct and Discipline Rules.
• The corporation organized a video conference with depot managers and traffic staff to reiterate rules and passenger courtesy, following the incident.

What Happens Next

The agency says it will ensure staff follow rules, maintain courteous conduct with passengers, and prevent recurrence. There is no information in the source about further disciplinary actions beyond the suspension or about additional investigations or changes to ETM custody procedures.