Bus conductor issues Rs. 444 tickets to parrots in cage, carried from Bengaluru to Mysuru

Mysore/Mysuru: Next time you plan to travel on a KSRTC bus with a pet, you might want to reconsider. Unlike the ‘Shakthi’ free travel scheme, which allows free travel for women within Karnataka, there’s no such provision for pets.

A woman and her granddaughter travelling from Bengaluru to Mysuru found themselves in an unexpected situation when they were asked to pay Rs. 444 for the four parrots they had in a cage.

Despite being eligible for the ‘Shakthi’ scheme, which entitled them to zero denomination tickets, they were still required to pay half the fare of an adult for their feathered companions. This unusual incident has since gained attention on the internet, sparking a mixture of shock and amusement among netizens.

The incident took place at the Satellite Bus Stand in Bengaluru on Mar. 27 morning (according to the date on the ticket), when a woman and her granddaughter arrived to board the bus from Bengaluru to Mysuru. Given their eligibility for free bus travel, they assumed they wouldn’t need to purchase tickets.

However, the KSRTC bus conductor sought payment for the four parrots they had in a cage. This puzzling situation left fellow passengers scratching their heads. Ultimately, the conductor insisted on charging them a total of Rs. 444, amounting to Rs. 111 for each of the four birds. The passengers paid up.

Despite other fellow passengers’ attempts to reason with the conductor regarding the apparent contradiction between the women’s free travel entitlement and the pet charges, the conductor stood firm, citing adherence to the rules.

KSRTC regulations indeed permit pets on non-AC buses, encompassing city, suburban and rural routes. However, premium services such as Volvo, Karnataka Vaibhava, Rajahamsa, non-AC sleepers and any air-conditioned services maintain restrictions against pets.

For pet dogs, the fare amounts to half that of an adult, while puppies, rabbits, birds and cats incur a fee equivalent to half the fare for a child.

This incident sparked a sense of amusement among fellow travellers. Some passengers couldn’t resist capturing the moment and sharing images of the duo with their feathered companions.The snapshots quickly made rounds on social media, adding an extra layer of fun to the unusual journey.

KSRTC Mysuru Divisional Controller clarifies

KSRTC Mysuru Divisional Controller (DC) G. Srinivas clarified to Star of Mysore that pets, including birds in a cage, are subject to charges according to established rules. He affirmed that the conductor’s actions were in line with protocol.

According to their circular, pet animals must be charged half of the ticket fare. Even though women are entitled to travel for free under the Shakthi Scheme, this benefit does not extend to pets and passengers carrying them will be charged according to regulations.