Congress protests against delay in launching Volvo services

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Mar 24: The Congress organized a protest in front of the KSRTC bus stand at Bejai against the delay in launching the Mangalore - Manipal air-conditioned Volvo bus service. One hundred and fifty Congress activists blocked the bus stand and prevented buses from moving out for more than half an hour. 

MLA U T Khader, who headed the protest, told Mr. P B Karunbaiah, the divisional controller of the Mangalore division of KSRTC, that it was unfair of the KSRTC to withhold the air-conditioned Volvo Mangalore - Manipal service from the people of Mangalore just because a minister had no time to launch the service. Launching into a tirade against private bus operators, their substandard vehicles, and rude staff, he said that the KSRTC was making a “draconian” move by not launching the service because of the absence of a minister. 

Mr. Khader told press people that he will complain to the chief minister, adding that the service must be launched even in the minister’s absence. He said that a union minister could be requested to launch the service. 

Mr. P B Karumbaiah confirmed that the delay had nothing to do with politics and that logistic reasons were responsible for the KSRTC’s failure to launch the services on time. 

Congress activists blocked the entrance and exit of the KSRTC bus stand, putting a lot of people, including students who were going to answer their examinations, to a lot of inconvenience.