Bengaluru: Activists, commuters miffed with BMTC's move allowing liquor ads on buses

Surrogate advertising on the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses promoting liquor brands by selling their CDs has irked several activists who are opposing the move.

"It is ridiculous...surrogate advertising to promote banned products on government-run buses is quite disturbing. BMTC is very insensitive to allow such advertisements on its buses which are used by the common people" Dr Vishal Rao, oncologist and member of the state high-powered committee of tobacco control in Karnataka was quoted saying by the Indian Express.

Some passengers also complained that the advertisements are making it difficult to recognise the BMTC buses as they look more like private buses.

"I thought it was a private company bus. And then I saw a BMTC conductor issuing tickets to passengers. BMTC's identity has gone at the cost of advertisements," Vasanth Kumar, a regular commuter said and also added that such advertisements on the windows also block the passenger's view, thus making it hard to identify locations.

Though Rule 127(1) of the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Act prohibits display of ads on private or public transport vehicles without permission from the Regional Transport Authority, the BMTC seems less bothered as it gets a yearly revenue of nearly Rs 15 crore from such advertisements on its buses.

A BMTC official said: "We don't receive adequate funds from the state government. Revenue from passenger traffic is not sufficient which is why we rely on revenue from advertisements. But we will look into the complaints about advertisements of liquor brand on BMTC buses."