In what may augment public transport system in Dakshina Kannada district in the coming days, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to operate buses on 145 new routes.
KSRTC managing director S R Umashankar told reporters on Monday here that seven new permits have been issued, pending finalisation of timings and permission has been sought for 124 additional permits. The deputy commissioner, who is also the chairman of Regional Transport Authority (RTA), has been requested to give permission to new routes.
To a query on the growing demand for operating buses sanctioned under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), hampered by the private transport operators who have moved courts, he said, “While 21 buses are being operated under JnNURM, mostly on the city routes, 16 have been stopped following stay in the courts. However, efforts are being made to vacate the stay in the interest of commuters.”
The deputy commissioner has promised to issue permits, once the stay imposed by the courts is vacated, he added.
To a particular query on most of the plans in abeyance, due to prevailing order under District Magistrate (DM) notified area, he said that the DM notification is not final and 81 permits are pending under DM area. The deputy commissioner has magisterial powers to review the order periodically following the demand.
Unlike other districts, the state-owned transport corporation is facing a stiff competition from private operators in undivided Dakshina Kannada district and efforts are being made to attract the passengers with affordable fares, he added.
Taking cognisance of depleting condition of the buses due to salination in the coastal district, the buses are replaced by new fleet of buses once they touch total distance of nine lakh km. While in other districts, the normal buses including the red buses are condemned once they complete 10 lakh km and Volvo buses after 13 lakh km.
Keeping pace with time, a vast fleet of 850 buses will be replaced by new vehicles, as the government is buying 121 Volvo buses and 1,706 other types of buses operated in the categories of red and Rajahamsa. The remaining new buses will be operated on new routes, he added.
Three depots are functioning in Mangaluru, plans are on the anvil to develop another depot as the district administration has requested for land. The existing two depots are fully developed with concrete floor, he noted.
The hi-tech bus stand on Bantwal Cross (BC) Road is expected to be inaugurated within one month with efforts being made in this regard.