JOIN USStudents get more miles on their bus passes
Here’s some good news for students, especially those in rural areas, who are dependent on public transport to commute to their schools or colleges.
Transport Minister R Ashoka on Tuesday announced that the travel limit on all categories of student bus passes had been extended from the existing 50 km to 60 km.
Speaking after the induction of a fleet of Mercedes Benz buses to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Ashoka said the decision to expand travel limits for student passes was taken following the demand for it by students’ unions.
On the use of alternative fuel like ethanol, honge and neem by the KSRTC to reduce pollution, Ashoka requested the State government to support the Corporation financially as such fuels cost Rs 2 more per litre when compared to diesel.
In response to Ashoka’s request, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda said the State government would extend complete support to the Transport department, including providing a support price for alternative fuels.
Ashoka also said that city bus service would be introduced in all district centres of the State, starting with Kolar, where it will be inaugurated soon. He hoped that this would save the money passengers spend on other modes of transport like autorickshaws.
Ashoka informed that the new satellite bus terminal at Peenya was nearing completion and would be inaugurated soon.
The minister announced that the State government had increased the pay for 26,000 trainees working in different State road corporations by Rs 1,000 each.
The department also plans to hire 30,000 people in the next four years, starting with the first batch of 1,220 employees who will be recruited within a month.
He added that the department would conduct a common entrance test to keep the recruitment process transparent.
BS 4 buses introduced
The State Transport department on Tuesday introduced out BS 4 buses, which are more environment-friendly and pollution-free. Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda flagged off 15 such Volvo and Mercedes Benz buses along with 14 new BMTC buses. He announced that in the coming days, the State government was planning to run buses using solar energy and diesel as a fuel combination. A coffee table book, detailing the path traced by State road transport so far, was also released on the occasion.
Luxury bus services will be introduced on the following routes: Mercedes Benz Multi Axel - Bangalore to Hyderabad, Bidar, Chennai; Non AC Sleeper - Mangalore to Bangalore, Puttur, Subrahmanya to Bangalore; Multi Axel Volvo - Mangalore to Mumbai, Mysore; Bangalore to Panaji.