Bengaluru, January 31, 2026: In a significant move to protect public health, Karnataka Transport and Muzrai Minister Ramalinga Reddy has issued strict directions prohibiting any direct or indirect advertisements promoting tobacco products in state-run buses and bus stands.

The directive, effective immediately, applies to all four state transport corporations: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).

In an official release, the Minister instructed managing directors of these corporations to ensure no tobacco-related advertisements such as gutka, paan masala, cigarettes, or related products are displayed on buses, bus shelters, or other public transport infrastructure. Where such advertisements already exist, they must be removed within a specified timeframe.

The decision comes amid growing protests by Kannada activists in Bengaluru and other parts of the state who have recently been removing tobacco-related advertisements from RTC buses. The activists have argued that such advertisements encourage tobacco consumption and undermine public health, particularly among young commuters and daily bus users.

Meanwhile, the issue had also triggered widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning the propriety of allowing tobacco promotion on public transport operated by the State.