Hop On Hop Off bus service to continue even after Dasara

Newly-constructed bus depot at Vijayanagar in city launched

The ‘Hop On and Hop Off’ buses introduced to ease the traffic congestion during Dasara festivities are likely to continue even after the celebrations.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy who announced the same here, during the inauguration of the fourth Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) depot at Vijayanagar 4th stage, said that the decision has been taken to operate the HOHO buses in Mysore round the year, as the city has a large tourist inflow. 

He said that a plan is being prepared for three additional bus depots for Mysore at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.

He said that the State was alloted 25 per cent of buses under JnNURM. Presently, Karnataka received 2,100 buses, out of which Mysore has received 125 buses. Additional buses in the second phase will be alloted to Mysore based on the requirement.

The Minister noted that KSRTC had more than one lakh workers and about 50,000 were recruited every year to offer better services to public.

District-in-Charge Minister V Sreenivas Prasad launched 30 new buses at the depot and said that KSRTC operated buses to remote villages which had facilitated connectivity as well education of students. He said, the corporation had to compete with private bus services in terms of fare and time.

Chamundeshwari MLA G T Devegowda stressed on setting up of bus stands at every Gram Panchayat limits.

Depot

The fourth depot at Mysore located at Vijayanagar has been established at a cost of Rs three crore on a 5.04 acre land. A total of 30 buses will presently operate from the depot covering 6,670 km and 55 trips.

The depot consists of a security room, traffic room, cash and ticket counter, tray box division, library and sports room, separate men’s and women’s rest rooms, power supply division, fuel division, staff room, battery division, blacksmith division and other facilities.