Bengaluru: Commuters have flagged an acute shortage of state-run buses on routes connecting Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, forcing them to rely heavily on private operators. They complain of frequent overcrowding, especially during weekends and festive seasons, on key routes including Kadapa, Madanapalle, Tirupati and Srikalahasti via Chintamani-Madanapalle, and Bengaluru-Ramasamudram via Punganur. Sri Sai, 30, from Madanapalle, said, “Currently, there are only two KSRTC buses operating between Bengaluru and Kadapa via Madanapalle. The situation is even worse for routes like Bengaluru to Tirupati and Srikalahasti via Chintamani and Yelahanka. Private buses dominate the route. For regular commuters like me, shortage of safe and reliable public transport is a major concern. Even a few months ago, there was an accident at Gownipalli, a border village. No one wants to travel by private buses, but we are forced to.” Wassem Akram, 25, resident of Ballari, who works at Marathahalli, said, “Govt buses from Bengaluru to Ballari are very limited. There are four services in the morning, and only two in the evening. In contrast, private buses operate throughout the night with over 20 services. A govt bus ticket costs Rs 376, while a private sleeper coach is around Rs 500. But due to unavailability, many opt for private buses.” All-Karnataka State Road Transport Employees’ Federation attributes the overload to Shakti, the govt’s free bus scheme for women. Drivers and conductors say they are struggling with overcrowding. Conductors are forced to manage heavy passenger loads, while drivers must deal with delays, stress and increasing risk of breakdowns and accidents. B Jayadevaraje Urs, secretary general, transport employees’ federation, said nearly 40% of the fleet is overaged and continues to operate due to lack of funds and delayed replacement, even as rising fuel costs and weak revenue generation strain the corporation’s finances. “Passenger load has surged, especially with a sharp rise in women commuters, pushing occupancy from around 60% earlier to nearly 90%-95%,” he said. “Besides overcrowding, it has led to long wait times and operational pressure. We have been demanding that the govt replace unfit, overaged vehicles and increase the number of buses, as many are no longer roadworthy and are prone to breakdowns and accidents.” The state economic survey for 2025-2026 states KSRTC’s daily passenger volume has climbed to 34.8 lakh from 29.7 lakh recorded before Shakti scheme. Women make up 66% of these total daily passengers. In line with agreement: OfficialsKSRTC officials said the corporation operates 279 buses to places in Andhra Pradesh in line with provisions of an inter-state transport agreement between the states. A KSRTC spokesperson said: “In the 9th supplemental inter-state transport agreement, we have agreed to 420 buses on new routes and 92 additional ones on existing routes. The agreement will be implemented after Andhra Pradesh publishes a final notification which is mandatory for both states.” 1,500 buses to be addedCongress has blamed the previous BJP govt for acute shortage of buses, claiming it did not purchase even a single bus during its tenure. KSRTC now plans to induct 1,500 buses in the 2026-27 fiscal. At present, it operates across 17 southern districts in Andhra, covering 20,090 of 21,748 villages — 92.4% of its service area.
