JOIN USTransport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that the city bus service will soon be introduced in 14 more cities in the State.
Speaking to reporters here on Tuesday, Reddy said fares in these buses will be under three slabs - Rs 3, Rs 5, and Rs 8.
As many as 800 buses will soon be put into service in 34 cities under JnNURM and services have already begun in 20 cities.
This apart, the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) will add 280 buses to its fleet, which will be put into service Belagavi, Sirsi, Karwar, Chikodi, Bagalkot, Haveri, Ranebennur, Hubballi-Dharwad.
Reddy said that the buses which had to be launched over a year ago, had been delayed, as the central purchase committee of KSRTC had rejected buses manufactured by Tata company, which had participated in the tender process. These buses were said to be guzzling diesel.
He also said that as per the JnNURM guidelines, urban transport corporations have been constituted under KSRTC, NWKRTC, and NEKRTC, for the city bus services.
BBMP polls
Maintaining that the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike polls will be held as per the High Court direction, Reddy said that a new reservation list will be prepared if the court permits for the same. Otherwise, the polls will be held based on the existing reservation list prepared for the 2011 population.
If the court gives a go ahead for preparing a new list, then the same can be readied within 15 to 20 days.
Reddy also said that the report on the ongoing inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of Marcopolo buses, would be submitted shortly.
He said that IAS officer S R Umashankar, who was probing into the matter, would submit the report by the end of the month. The inquiry will establish the reason behind the purchase of the loss-making buses.