Bangalore: Schools have reopened and some colleges will soon follow suit. Students are finding it difficult to get bus passes; many say they are buying tickets both ways. Children going to high schools have to pay full fare.

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) authorities say student passes will be issued from June 5 in most counters and only for college students the passes are issued in July.

According to some school and college authorities, the passes are often issued only from end of June, almost a month after classes begin. Students have to spend about Rs. 20 a day on bus tickets although they are entitled to cheaper travel. "If the passes are going to be issued from next week, it will benefit students and parents," some school authorities said.

Second Pre-University Course (PUC) students appear to be the most affected because their classes begin early. They cannot get bus passes till July. They have to spend about Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,000 till the passes are issued.

The rule that student bus passes are valid only till April end is resented by many students who write their examination during May. The final year degree examinations normally go on till the last week of May. Another common complaint is about the lack of pass issuing counters; BMTC officials say they open additional counters during the beginning of the school year. They explained that the Government had given clear instructions that since schools and colleges function only for 10 months a year, the overlapping of some examination beyond the pass expiry period cannot be avoided. There was a proposal to make exceptions for students in certain institutions where classes are conducted in May.

BMTC authorities explained that the number of student passes issued had been steadily going up over the years although it meant a loss of revenue. In 2005-06, the number of student bus passes issued was 3.15 lakh and in 2004-05, 2,76 lakh passes were issued. The figure for 2003-04 was 2.52 lakh. This academic year, they are expected to be issuing around 3.46 lakh passes. "We understand the needs of students from middle income families and will issue passes to all genuine students as a social duty," an official said.

Pass counters

Meanwhile, BMTC has said that student passes will be issued at the following counters between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on all days, including Sundays:

Kempegowda Bus Station, Shivajinagar Bus Station, K.R. Market, Jayanagar 4th Block and 9th block, J.P. Nagar, BTM Layout, Banashankari, Kumaraswamy Layout, N.R. Colony, Srinagar, MCTC, Electronics City, Shantinagar, Koramangala, Domlur, Ulsoor, Neelasandra, Jeevan Bima Nagar, Kalyannagar, Kavalbyrasandra, R.T. Nagar, Vidyaranyapura, Yelahanka, Mathikere, Yeshwantpur, Nelamangala, Nandini Layout, Malleswaram 18th Cross, Rajajinagar 1st Block, Basaveshwaranagar, Kamalanagar, RPC Layout, Vijayanagar, Hesaraghatta, KHB Colony, Kengeri, Chandra Layout and K.R. Puram.

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