'Single ticket system from taluk centres soon'

Transport Minister Ashoka says system will help commuters, at city bus service inauguration

A single ticket system is being planned for travel from taluk centres to the City and back again, said Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister R Ashoka.

“Many people living in rural areas travel to and from Kolar City for employment purposes. A single ticket system will help farmers save both time and money,” he added.

The Minister spoke after flagging off the new city bus service from the new bus stand on Saturday.

“About 2.5 lakh passengers travel all over the district in the Transport Department buses. The new city bus service has been provided to double the number,” said Ashoka. 

“The bus stand is being renovated at an expenditure of Rs 2.25 lakh. Additional funds will be made available to ensure that the City gets a hi-tech bus stand,” he added.

Week’s time

Students studying under sixth standard all over the State are given free bus passes. The Department will decide in a week’s time about providing greater facilities to school children, said the Minister. 

“The Department aims to provide excellent facilities to the public and not make profits. Students and physically challenged persons can travel in the new buses with passes,” Ashoka added.

Referring to the increasing rate of migration to cities from rural areas, Ashoka said the Transport Department wished to expand transport facilities keeping in mind problems that would show up about 25 years from now.

Irrigation funds

The Deputy Chief Minister said on Saturday that the Cabinet committee had agreed to spend Rs 3,900 crore to implement the Yettinahole irrigation project in the district.

Minister requests

District In-charge Minister R Varthur Prakash, who chaired the inaugural function, requested Ashoka for new buildings for the Kolar city and rural police stations. 

“The rural station in the district, which manages law and order in 350 villages, needs to be bifurcated into an urban police station and a new station in Sugatur. In addition, we need a new police station in Narasapur,” he explained.

Varthur also asked the Deputy Chief Minister to lay the foundation for the renovation of the bus stand, which is to begin in August. “Contractors should be instructed to complete work in eight months,” he said.

Quarters

“The staff quarters of the armed forces in the district is in dilapidated condition. The houses should be pulled down and new quarters constructed,” he asked of Ashoka.

He also requested that a DSP post be provided for the armed forces in Kolar and Kolar Gold Fields.

Divisional Control Officer M Ramesh welcomed the gathering, and accounts officer M Venkatamuniyappa proposed the vote of thanks.

Legislators M Narayanaswamy, Y A Narayanaswamy and K R Nandish Reddy, Karnataka Vidyut Karkhane chairman B P Venkatamuniyappa, Zilla Panchayat president Manjula, Taluk Panchayat president N Ramadevi, City Municipal Council president Nazia, vice-president L Khaleel Ahmed, member C Somashekhar, V Prakash, Raut Shankarappa, Muninarayanappa, Begli Siraj, Begli Suryaprakash and S Muniyappa were on the dais for the function.

Insurance for cops to be hiked

Deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka announced on Saturday that the insurance amount given to the next of kin of police personnel who died while on duty would be hiked from Rs three lakh to Rs 10 lakh. He was speaking to reporters after launching the city bus services at the new bus stand in Kolar city. 

Ashoka, who is also the home minister, said that an amount of Rs 20 crore had been set aside for the purpose of providing investigation allowance to the police. The police would, henceforth, not need to mobilise money for the purpose, he said. The allowance paid per constable had been raised from Rs 50 to Rs 100, he said.