Bus Day in the last month of the year was also special. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) was pleasantly surprised by the large numbers of people boarding buses.
It was the 10th Bus Day, and to avoid a weekend celebration for a day which has relevance on a weekday when the commuters must not stay away from work or be stuck at home, this time it was celebrated on a weekday, December 7.
Bus Day in the last month of the year was also special. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) was pleasantly surprised by the large numbers of people boarding buses. They had good reason — there were audio CDs autographed by a Sandalwood star to be won.
Managers at IT offices in the city had arranged for a lucky draw to coincide with Bus Day. Those who arrived by bus could drop their names and contact details in a drop box at the entrance to many offices on Tuesday. The Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) had arranged a lucky draw, and six lucky passengers would win an autographed audio CD of the latest Sandalwood hit movie, Super, directed by Upendra, who also acted in the film.
Super released in theatres last Friday. Upendra had also agreed to be part of Bus Day on December 4, but the date was changed and the actor could not take a ride in a city bus on Tuesday.
However, he signed audio CDs that could be distributed to fans as a means of attracting more people to ride the bus. On Wednesday, the lots would be drawn and the winners will be called to collect their CDs.
“I have always appreciated Upendra. Direction or acting, he does a swell job. It’s a decade since he directed or acted in a film, and I have already seen it, but it would be nice to win a CD autographed by the star. I came to know of this plan for Bus Day, and there was no reason I was going to miss the chance,” said Suresh Ramakantha, a software engineer, who rode the BMTC bus to his office in Marathahalli.
“I saved 10 minutes today, when I took a BMTC bus. It is a notion people have, that taking the bus means one will get late. Every bus day we use a different mode of celebration, to create greater awareness of the need for public transport,” said Seetharam Vishwanath, general secretary, ORRCA.
Kavitha Bakshi, who travels to Electronics City everyday, said that the bus has now become her regular mode of transport.
“Comfortable Volvos run frequently on the routes towards the tech hubs,” she said.
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