KSTRC drivers, conductors flayed at Udupi RTA meet

KSTRC drivers, conductors flayed at Udupi RTA meet

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, June 10, 2017:  At the RTA meeting at the Udupi DC’s office, a social activist who runs private buses from Honnal to Udupi, charged that the KSRTC bus drivers are rude and do not maintain the timings allotted by the RTA.Private bus owners said the KSRTC buses are not maintaining the timings allotted by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

When the matter is raised with the KSTRC staff, they hurl abuses and behave ruthlessly. They only follow the route timings for two days, but are now following their own timings according to their convenience. They delay  by 10 minutes and reach the destination late, it was alleged.

Sudhakar Kalmadi said the KSRTC buses plan special trips without prior notices, especially on Sundays. Surendra Shetty from Kokkarne said the KSRTC buses take the routes as per their convenience and not according to the route map prescribed in the permit.

Durgaprasda Shetty said several KSRTC buses are plying from Byndoor to Kundapur and vice versa. The private buses ply for 46 km while the KSRTC buses cover only 26 km, but still manage to pick up passengers at the main junctions. This is unjust, he said, adding that the KSRTC buses skip all the bus stops. "Also, They do not go to KSRTC bus stands. The 15 buses that ply from Bhatkal to Kundapur do not enter the KSRTC bus stand and directly pick up the passengers at Shastri Circle," he complained.

If the RTO does not take action, the private bus owners will be compelled to act, he warned.

The KSRTC representative said that there are no complaints from public and hence, there is no need to heed to the demands of the private bus owners. He said the drivers and conductors will be trained to maintain the time schedule mentioned in the licence.

Suresh Nayak, president of Private Bus Owners’ Association, said the identical timings for the private and KSRTC buses in the permits have added to the woes. RTA should design the plans/guidelines to help the private buses fight against the identical timings. The private buses are running under loss and the RTO is deaf towards the grievances of the private bus operators. In Karkala, the private bus stand is also shared by the KSRTC buses, Nayak said.

Lakshminarayana Bhat from Sringeri said the rivalry between the private and KSRTC buses at Agumbe Ghat has put the passengers’ lives at risk.

Udupi DC Priyanka Mary Francis said that the KSRTC bus operators are not offered any special concessions. They are also one among the parties in the business. The KSRTC officers should train their bus drivers and conductors. The RTA timings should be followed and no special privileges can be given, she said.

Regional transport officer Surendra Kulkarni said that once the timing is allotted it is not possible to change. It should be done only through court intervention. This is the second meeting held by RTA in 2017.