Udupi minister takes term view on KSRTC bus issue

Udupi minister takes term view on KSRTC bus issue

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, July 15 2017: Speaking after inaugurating the Janasamparka Sabhe (mass contact programme) of Manipal Municipal Ward organised by the Udupi City Municipal Council.

Minister of State for Fisheries, Youth Empowerment and Sports, and in-charge of Udupi, Pramod Madhwaraj, said on July 14, Friday that there was no question of his giving way to lobbying from private bus operators on running low-floor Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses in the district.

The High Court had recently quashed the permits of 55 low-floor KSRTC buses in the district after private bus operators approached it citing various violations.

Minister Madhwaraj said low-floor government buses were introduced in the city and rural areas of the district because of public demand. Operating these buses has benefited students and senior citizens in the district, he said.

Water issues : A plan is on  to get water from Varahi river to Udupi city in order to deal with the water scarcity during summers. The matter was discussed at a meeting of officials of Karnataka Urban Development and Coastal Environment Project (KUDCEMP) on Friday. This summer, the Udupi CMC put in a lot of effort to solve the water scarcity problem, spending about Rs. 1 crore.

The Minister said the objective behind holding mass contact programmes was not just to review the implementation of government programmes, but also to understand the loopholes and plug them.

Cheques under the Calamities Relief Fund and Sandhya Suraksha were distributed to beneficiaries on the occasion.