Chaos at Udupi RTA meet, irregularities in KSRTC operations

Chaos at Udupi RTA meet, irregularities in KSRTC operations

Mangalore Today News Network

Aug 31, 2017: The RTA meeting involving private bus operators was a chaos as private bus owners alleged irregularities in the timings of KSRTC buses and massive decline in the collections of  private buses owing to the many number of buses plying in the stretches with identical timings.   Raising the issue, City Bus Owners’ Association president Suresh Nayak said that KSRTC buses are violating all rules and regulations put forth by RTA and the complaints registered against the KSRTC buses are not being attended to. "Private buses are being treated with bias. It is total injustice," he said.

Private bus owners complained that the identical timings and low fares offered by the KSRTC buses was also affecting the trade of private operators. Although the RTA rules stresses on following similar timings instructed by RTA, KSRTC buses offer services at much less fares. The difference in prices has affected the private bus trade and owners and employees are suffering. They also demanded nationalisation of private buses.

Udupi DC Priyanka Mary Francis instructed the RTO and KSRTC to work on regularising timings by calling a depot level meeting involving private bus operators. She said only those buses running with permits will qualify.

An activist  from Hebri alleged that private buses drivers and conductors are rude and treat passengers very badly. He urged the RTA to deploy more number of KSRTC buses and offer comforts to the public.

He said extra buses should be pressed into service in the Udupi-Shivamogga, Hebri-Karkala and Udupi-Chikamgaluru routes. There are many students who travel on these routes. The minimum fare in KSRTC is Rs 5, which is much less as compared to private buses.

Shivaji Suvarna from Belle demanded more number of buses from Kaup to Moddubelle. here were also complaintsagainst KSRTC buses as these do not enter government bus stops and travel directly on the route.

Former president of private bus owners’ association Sadanada Chatra said that the notification on minimum and maximum fare is not followed. He added that private buses are into 35 years of service in the area.

Should the private bus owners be fed at the expense of and danger to public one person asked, they have been ripped of for years now and should this continue?

SP Sanjeev Patil said that only specific cases would be addressed as the aggrieved people come up with random allegations which makes no sense.