KASSIA urges BMTC to permit MSME workers to use bus services on weekend curfew

Bengaluru, 7 Jan (KNN) With the spike in covid-19 cases, weekend curfew has been declared in Karnataka on 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th January.

In response to this, the Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association has appealed to the state bus authorities to allow the employees working in micro and small scale industries to use the services of the limited number of BMTC buses allowed to ply during those days.

This was observed by KASSIA in the BMTC statement which mentions employees working in exempted industries and establishments as per government guidelines.

It has appealed to the BMTC officials to extend the service to all employees working in MSEs on production of valid ID, as most of them cannot afford to travel by cabs or autorickshaws, and also Metro facility is available only in limited parts of the city.

KASSIA has also requested BMTC to ply more buses in industrial areas so that the MSMEs are able to operate without any interruption on account of Covid-related restrictions.

The lack of bus service for workers to go to their place of work may induce them to return to their native place and once again lead to mass migration of workers which will create complications like it happened during the second wave, which has to be avoided at any cost, said KASSIA.

As per the new guidelines, a weekend curfew will be implemented in the state from Friday 10:00 pm to Monday 5:00 am for the next two weeks.