KSRTC Bus Travels at Night Without Headlights, Viral Video Raises Serious Safety Concerns

A video showing a Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, or KKRTC, bus travelling at night without working headlights has triggered widespread concern across Karnataka. The footage, which has gone viral on social media, shows the conductor using the flashlight from his mobile phone to help the driver navigate a dark highway.

The incident reportedly occurred during the final night service on the 84 kilometre route between Kalaburagi and Chincholi. Regular passengers, including students and daily wage workers from nearby villages, said the bus had been facing electrical and mechanical problems for several weeks. They also claimed that repeated complaints about the faulty lighting system were ignored by officials at the depot.

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With the headlights not functioning, the driver had to depend on the limited light from the mobile phone to identify potholes, road obstacles, and approaching vehicles. According to passengers, the crew had little choice but to continue the journey because stopping the bus in a remote area late at night could have created additional safety risks.

The video has also sparked a political debate, with opposition leaders accusing the state government of failing to ensure the proper maintenance of public transport buses. They argued that financial constraints and delays in funding have affected repair work and left maintenance teams without essential spare parts.

As criticism continues to grow, commuters and transport rights groups have called for an immediate investigation into the incident. They have also urged the authorities to inspect the entire KKRTC fleet, remove unsafe buses from service, and provide reliable replacement vehicles to ensure passenger safety on rural routes.