Police launch drive to ensure buses stop inside bay

Mangaluru police will launch a drive to stop the unauthorised parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers in the bus bay and ensure that buses stop only at the bus bay.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sandip Patil, while participating in the weekly phone-in programme at the Commissionerate office on Friday, urged the bus operators’ association president to ensure that buses stop only inside the bus bay.

Residents had complained that buses stop out of the bus bay causing inconvenience to motorists and passengers. The vacant bus bay is often occupied by autorickshaws and four-wheelers, residents added. A resident from Surathkal complained about the sale of ganja to youth near Surathkal Railway Station.

The Commissioner promised stringent action against ganja peddlers. Some garages were repairing vehicles on the road and causing problems to the smooth flow of traffic a resident complained. Vehicles parked on the footpath was another common complaint.

The Commissioner directed his staff to begin a drive to ensure that garages do not repair vehicles on the road. Vinay Kumar from Surathkal accused autorickshaw drivers of not charging by the meter.

“Autorickshaw drivers demand more than the actual fare,” he said.

Traffic

When a resident from Moodbidri complained that pedestrians were finding it difficult to cross the road during peak hours, the Commissioner said that traffic lights were installed near Jain Basadi and other areas in Moodbidri, to help the public. “Police are trained to manage traffic. Traffic enforcement will be implemented effectively,” he assured.

He said that Moodbidri, Mulki and Bajpe areas were not covered by traffic police. Efforts are on to set right the traffic chaos in the area, he added.

A resident from Kodialguthu complained that rainwater had flooded the entire area in Kodialguthu during the previous monsoon.

Yet Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) had failed to desilt the stormwater drains. The Commissioner promised to bring the issue to the notice of MCC.

When a resident from Bejai complained that safety of senior citizens in apartments was threatened, the Commissioner promised to introduce police beat in the area. Later, he said that measures would be taken as per provisions of the Karnataka Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, to ensure the safety of senior citizens in each police jurisdiction.

Oliver D’Souza said in absence of buses (between Moodbidri and Mangaluru Junction Railway Station), passengers had to shell out Rs 600 for autorickshaw and Rs 1,200 for cab in order to reach the railway station. The Commissioner promised to redress the issue at the RTA meeting.

The residents also drew the commissioner’s attention to lack of parking space near KMC Hospital in Ambedkar Circle and Attavar, unauthorised parking of vehicles, using shrill horns by vehicles, cutting down the trips of private city buses.