'Withdraw JnNURM buses in Udupi or offer alternative jobs'

Employees of Hanuman Transport Limited have urged the government to withdraw the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) buses plying in the city and also the long distance buses in the district as their livelihood is under threat.

Hanuman Transport Limited president Rajasab Nandihalli told reporters here on Tuesday that ever since public transport buses have been introduced, it has adversely affected the employment of workers who are associated with private buses.

He added that the government should nationalise private transport as it would at least help poor employees. He said that the buses that ply on the route from Udupi to Shivamogga have ended up in losses owing to the introduction of services of the JnNURM buses on this stretch.

There are 30 buses on the stretch both to and fro and around 800 employees are employed, he said. Nandihalli said that the government should offer alternative jobs as most of the employees in the private transport system are losing their jobs. If the government does not consider their plea, the employees would take up a protest rally, he warned.

Vice president Shailendar Shetty said that the government has for the first time been plying 55 buses by defying the High Court stay. "These buses were stalled by the Court as they were plying without permits," he said. He added that political involvement has ruined the lives of poor labourers.

"Labourers will resort to mass suicide as they have no other option left. The situation is getting worse and it has become highly impossible to lead a life as the private bus owners are planning to stop the buses at various stretches," he said.