The Hindu : Insurance scheme for BMTC pass holders on the anvil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Insurance scheme for BMTC pass holders on the anvil

By Anil Sastry

BANGALORE MARCH 26. The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) is thinking of launching an ambitious scheme, `Rainbow', to provide insurance coverage to its monthly pass holders. Apart from insurance, pass holders can be winners of monthly and annual lucky draws, and walk away with attractive prizes.

The BMTC's objective in launching Rainbow is to attract more commuters to its monthly pass scheme, which now has 1.3 lakh members.

The KSRTC and BMTC Chairman, R.V. Devraj, was instrumental in evolving the scheme on the lines of the "Re. 1 Accident Relief Fund Scheme" for KSRTC passengers.

The scheme was conceived by the BMTC Managing Director, Upendra Tripathy, who is making efforts to continue reforms initiated by his predecesors.

While the benefits of the Re. 1 scheme are confined to passengers who suffer injury in an accident involving the KSRTC bus in which they are travelling, Rainbow will cover any accident involving a member of the scheme. In a way, it extends general insurance coverage.

According to the draft proposal, a pass holder has to pay an additional Rs. 20 to enrol for the scheme. There is no compulsion on pass holders to join the scheme. A member of the scheme will be paid at least Rs. 20,000 if he is injured in an accident and opts for treatment at a hospital. In case of his death, his legal heirs will receive at least Rs. 1 lakh, as per the draft proposal.

Lucky draw

The Rainbow scheme has other attractions. The BMTC intends to hold a lucky draw each month, in which one pass holder will win a prize.

It will hold an annual lucky draw for commuters who have availed of monthly passes in all the previous 12 months. The winner gets a car.

The modalities of the scheme are being worked out, and efforts are on to secure the participation of an insurance company.

The BMTC hopes to launch the scheme in May this year.

It has to create a database of monthly pass holders for the lucky draw scheme, and provide an identification number to every pass holder. The process will take time, BMTC officials say.

The BMTC plies 3,000 buses every day for 28 lakh commuters.

As it is increasing the number of buses and introducing more routes, the number of passengers will increase.

So will the number of monthly pass holders, officials say.

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