Residents demand KSRTC serivce to Mudipu, block road

People of Mudipu and surrounding areas staged a protest against RTA’s decision to withdraw peak hour services of KSRTC buses, following objections by private operators, on Thursday.

The protesters demanded KSRTC bus services to Vittal, B C Road, Manjanadu, Manchi, Kukkaje via Konaje-Mudipu route.

The protesters accused the private bus owners for indulging in lobby against government buses. “If this continued, then we will not allow private buses to ply on the road,” they said.

The protesters had stopped plying of buses on the route from 9 am till 6 pm. All the business establishments had shut their business in support of the protest, in Mudipu.

Former MLA Padmanabha Kottari said that the KSRTC buses are serving the citizens. It is not right on the part of private bus owners to oppose KSRTC services. “We are not against private bus operators. But we want KSRTC services to rural areas,” he added.

Horata Samithi leader T G Rajaram Bhat said that the private bus conductors consider school children as sheep and women and senior citizens as second grade citizens. Private buses are always overcrowded.

RTO Mallikarjuna who visited the protesters said that a meeting will be convened on
January 3, to discuss the issue.

The bus services to Konaje, Mudipu, Deralakatte were suspended following the protest. The protesters did not allow the buses to ply on Konaje, Innoli and Harekala route as well.

Horata Samithi President Santosh Kumar Boliyar and others were present.