Pre-paid auto rickshaw stand to be ready this April

Pre-paid auto rickshaw stand to be ready this April

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 4, 2012: The pre-paid auto rickshaw stand near Kankanady Junction Railway Station will be launched this April. 

DC Dr. N. S. Channappa Gowda told reporters on the sidelines of a Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting held in the DC’s office on Saturday that the RTA will open the pre-paid auto rickshaw stand in April. This stand will be operated just as the existing auto rickshaw stands are operated at KSRTC and Mangalore Central Railway Station. 

Regarding the condition of existing pre-paid auto rickshaw stands, he said that the system is working well at the Central Railway Station, but suffering a bit near the KSRTC Bus Stand, owing to differences in public demand. 

C. Mallikarjuna, the regional transport officer, said that the RTO has the required funds and equipment to open a pre-paid auto rickshaw stand and will try to do the same within this month and, if this is not possible, the stand will be ready by April latest. 

RTA Meet
DC and RTA Chairman Dr. N. S. Channappa Gowda presided over the RTA meeting, during which permits were granted to ply buses along five different routes to rural areas. Private bus owners can now launch bus services from Dharmanagara – Kottarachowki, Tenkamajaru – Moodubidri, Guruvayanakere to Gerukatte, Benjamajaru to Moodubidri, and Arkula – Kinnigoli. An application seeking permission to ply between Dharmanagara and Baikampady was rejected because of the heavy traffic on the Kuloor – Baikampady Road. Permits, however, have been granted to ply from Dharmanagara to Kottarachowki through Konaje, Pumpwell, Deralakatte, and Kuntikana. 

Regarding the application to ply along the Arkula to Kinnigoli route, the DC informed that although two permits for the same route were granted in the past, buses are still not plying along that route. He said that notices will be served to the parties who have the permits and if they are still unwilling to ply, permits will be granted to the new applicant. 

Most of the 114 applications submitted were rejected because they did not follow a High Court ruling, which states that applications for fresh permits must be given as per the state government’s formulated rules. However, the legal representatives of the bus owners’ association upheld Section 80 of the Motor Vehicle Act, which says that permits can be granted for the launching of new bus services depending on the need. The DC responded that a route survey will be done based on which a decision will be made.