Pramesh S Jain
The Karnataka State Police has requested the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) to extend free travel in ordinary and ordinary Vayu Vajra/limited-stop services to police personnel performing duties in plain clothes,citing operational and security concerns.
The request was made by the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) to the BMTC Managing Director following a representation submitted by Mohan Kumar Danappa,Member of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority.
According to the communication,plainclothes personnel deployed in intelligence,crime investigation,the Central Crime Branch (CCB),the Anti-Narcotics Wing,VIP and ministerial security,and other specialised units are required to move across the city discreetly while tracking suspects,gathering intelligence,tailing accused persons, and monitoring criminal and anti-social activities.
The police department said these officers often face difficulties when conductors insist on tickets,leading to arguments that can expose their identity and compromise covert operations.
It noted that revealing their identity while on duty could hamper investigations and even endanger personnel engaged in sensitive assignments.
The letter requested BMTC to permit such personnel to travel free of cost in ordinary BMTC and ordinary limited-stop buses upon production of their official police identity card.
It also sought instructions to all BMTC drivers and conductors to honour the facility.
The DG&IGP’s office pointed out that the government has been reimbursing BMTC for free travel extended to police personnel since the 1980s.
Initially,the reimbursement was fixed at Rs.25 per police personnel per month for an estimated 1,200 personnel, and the amount has subsequently been increased by 10 per cent annually with government approval.
In his representation,Mohan Kumar Danappa noted that despite earlier directions,including a 2009 communication from the Chief Minister’s Office and a 2017 request from the DG&IGP’s office,the benefit has not been extended to police personnel working in plain clothes,resulting in continued hardship during duty.
The Karnataka Police has now urged BMTC to implement the facility at the earliest to ensure that covert police personnel can perform their duties without operational disruptions or compromising their identity.
