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Tuesday, March 19

’Before hike in bus fares’ seek public openion too, demand at RTA meet

’Before hike in bus fares’ seek public openion too, demand at RTA meet


Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Mar 24, 2017: Udupi Regional Transport Authority meet held after a long gap saw the public questioning the authorities over the irregular and infrequent meetings. Participants sought to know why the authorities had hiked bus fares without seeking a public opinion on the same.

Raising the issue, Nagarikara Pragathipara Seva Samiti president said the grievances of pubic regarding transport go unheard as the RTA meeting is rarely held. The administration is evading its responsibility as the applications given are not taken up and problems continue to multiply.

Shetty said the bus fares have been hiked without informing passengers as there was no RTA meet held for quite some time. RTA meets should be held once a month. He said KSRTC buses should be pressed into service in all routes especially in rural areas. He questioned the need for RTA as the body had lost its significance owing to bus owners raising the price without informing and seeking permission from RTA .

Ramesh Rao, a resident from Ambagilu, complained that there are no buses for an 800 meters stretch on Ambagilu-Kalsanka for over 15 years. He said buses were a must here as there are many school and college going students in the area.

Private Bus Owners’ Association representative  said 25 permits for KSRTC buses had been issued for Karkala-Udupi-Bhatkal-Mangaluru routes. These buses do not ply according to the time allotted and this creates trouble for private buses that operate as per the timings. He said a tussle between employees of private buses and KSRTC buses would ensue over a clash in timings. "If the district in-charge minister wants to favour KSRTC buses he can do so but he should also issue directions to set right the problems," he argued. If KSRTC buses do not follow the prescribed timings, the private buses will violate the schedule, he warned. Nayak sought to know why only KSRTC buses and not private buses were considered for Kal-sanka-Tangandangadi route.

Chikkamagaluru Bus Operators’ Association raised objections over giving dentical timings to KSRTC buses which has created problems for private buses. The representative from the Association said that 60% of the routes in Chikkamagaluru are in rural areas and some pass through DK and Udupi. The official said in areas like Mesinadya, private buses are running under loss. The new permits should not be issued in the route, he said. "Similarly Karkala-Bajegoli stretch is also under repair. Only limited number of buses should be allowed to ply in the area due to congestion and delay," he said. Jaya Shetty, a retired teacher said KSRTC buses permitted to ply in rural areas should be transformed into rural transport.

The RTO said that seats reserved for women and aged in buses should be reserved exclusively for them.

The high footboards of the buses should be reduced to a lower height. Buses plying all through Ambagilu-Kalsanka should cover the stretch prescribed in the permit, the official said. He also instructed the owners of buses that were seized due to various reasons to release their vehicles immediately by offering surety. He said services of 80 buses had got interrupted and warned that the bus permits would be given to others if surety was not paid.


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