College students stage flash protest against KSRTC

Scores of students from Maharani’s Science, Arts and Commerce College staged a flash protest, bringing the busy traffic on a stretch of JLB road to a grinding halt on Friday.

The students took to streets alleging that KSRTC buses were not providing stoppage at the bus stops (on either side of the road) in front of the college from the past several days.

The students who boycotted classes in the morning staged a sit-in, airing slogans against the KSRTC authorities for not paying heed to their request.

Suma, a student in the lead of the protest alleged that the KSRTC buses, mainly those operating between the city bus stand and KRS were not providing the stoppage, irrespective of the students having passes. She said that whenever students requested for the stop, the conductors would either hurl abuses or ask them to alight at the traffic signal near the college.

She further accused the KSRTC authorities of sitting quiet on the similar complaints made at the city bus stand sometime ago. Assistant Traffic Manager of KSRTC (Urban), Maqsood Ahmed who was summoned to the spot by the police, was petitioned with a set of demands by the students. The demands are, compulsory stoppage of buses at both the bus stops in front of the college, increase in bus services, action against the drivers and conductors who misbehave with students, instruction to conductors to allow the students with bus passes at all the city routes, increase the numbers of women conductors, and also dedicated buses for women.

Maqsood Ahmed who promised to look into their demands, announced that as a subsequent measure, a traffic controller will be deputed near the college to streamline the service. He will be tasked with recording the entry (arrival and departure) of buses for 15 days.

The official also assured to look into the status of complaint that was made at the city bus stand sometime ago. He also appealed to the students to make use of the toll free number (18004255220) between 5 am and 11 pm, to lodge complaints if any, in the future.
DH News Service