‘No change’: Masked Karnataka transport minister ordered off Bengaluru bus by conductor

3 min readBengaluruJul 12, 2026 06:20 PM IST

Karnataka Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh went undercover on a BMTC bus in Bengaluru and was forced off the vehicle after failing to provide exact change (Images from screengrabs; enhanced using AI).

Written by Neysa Mary

Karnataka’s newly inducted Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh has had a harsh taste of the daily struggles faced by ordinary commuters when a Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) conductor ordered him off a bus for failing to provide exact change, unaware that he was speaking to a minister.

In an effort to gather firsthand experience regarding commuter grievances, Suresh donned a face mask to conceal his identity and boarded a BMTC bus operating from Hebbal to Nagashettihalli on Saturday night. After seeking two tickets, the minister handed the conductor a Rs 100 note.

The conductor demanded the exact change of Rs 12, opening his cash pouch to prove he had no loose coins or notes of smaller denominations. He then told the masked minister to get down at the next corner if he could not pay the precise fare.

Choosing not to reveal his identity on the spot, Suresh quietly complied and stepped off the vehicle. Following the revelation, the BMTC management has launched an inquiry into the conductor’s conduct.

A sweeping ground-level inspection

The interaction was part of a larger, unannounced weekend outing. Between 7.10 pm and 9.10 pm, the minister travelled incognito across several major areas in Bengaluru, including Jayamahal, TV Tower, RT Nagar, CBI Road, Hebbal, Manyata Tech Park, Nagawara, Hennur, Hennur Bande, Byrathi Bande, and Geddalahalli, assessing actual road operations and crew behaviour.

According to a BMTC official, while monitoring another BMTC bus, minister Suresh witnessed the driver accelerate past the Fun World bus stop, ignoring a passenger who was flagging the vehicle down. The minister immediately intervened and ordered senior transport officials to suspend the driver, Mustaq, and the conductor, Dayanand, for failing to halt at a designated commuter stop.

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While the BMTC is conducting a formal disciplinary review, Dayanand has contested the suspension, arguing that the location where the commuter stood was neither an authorised nor a scheduled stop.

According to officials, the minister also took a brief autorickshaw ride from Nagashettihalli, during which the meter showed Rs 30, but the driver demanded Rs 36. When questioned, the driver claimed the meter needed recalibration. Suresh ultimately paid Rs 40 before stepping out, encountering yet another instance of the overcharging city commuters regularly report.

Neysa Mary is an intern with The Indian Express.