A video of the incident shows that after the driver collapsed, the conductor quickly jumped into the driver’s seat and took control of the vehicle.
Credit: Screengrab/X@nBangalorepost
Bengaluru: A BMTC bus driver died after suffering a heart attack at the wheel on the city's northern outskirts on Wednesday. In a quick-thinking act, the bus conductor got behind the wheel and halted the vehicle, preventing any mishap, officials said.
Kiran Kumar, driver of the bus number KA 57 F 4007, was returning to depot number 40 (Nelamangala) after completing his last trip of the day on route number 256 M/1 when he suddenly collapsed at the wheel at 11.02 am.
The conductor, Obalesh, raised an alarm and got behind the wheel as he saw the bus veering off the road and brushing against another BMTC bus. The conductor managed to bring the vehicle to a halt without any further accident. It was sheer luck that the BMTC bus was empty at the time.
The driver of the second bus joined Obalesh in lifting Kumar up and taking him to a nearby private hospital. Doctors examined the bus driver and declared that he had died of a heart attack.
GT Prabhakar Reddy, Chief Traffic Manager (Operations), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), praised the conductor for his quick-thinking and said that he would be suitably rewarded.
Senior BMTC officials visited the family of the deceased driver, offered their condolences and provided ex gratia for conducting the final rites. Kumar's family will also receive Rs 1 crore under a life insurance policy for employees who die on duty.
The incident highlights the growing work pressure that BTMC crew face on a daily basis.
The BMTC says it conducts regular camps at the Chest and Sleep Center, Jayanagar, to screen its staff for respiratory diseases, lung ailments and allergies due to air pollution.
It has also signed a five-year agreement with the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research to conduct heart check-ups for employees aged over 45 years. More than 11,000 employees have been screened at Jayadeva hospital so far, according to Reddy.