Speaking to reporters here on Saturday, KFDC Chairman Ramachandra Baikampady said fisherwomen who depend on rickshaws and local buses to carry the fish to village markets, will now be able to use the specially-designed buses, which will have seating arrangements on one side and a place to keep baskets to store their fish in, on the other.
Normally, fisherwomen catch the first bus to State Bank region in Mangalore and then go to the wharf by walking. However, this bus will take them directly to the wharf. “Minimum charges will be collected from women,” Baikampady said. Two buses will serve the fisherwomen of Karwar, Tadadi, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Gangolli Ankola, Gangolli and Mangalore while Malpe which has more fisherwomen will have three buses.
Definite route
Each bus will run on a definite route, covering all the major villages. In Dakshina Kannada district, the bus will run from Ullal to Wharf and Sasihithlu to Wharf (Old Port). The bus will start between 4 am and 4.30 am. There will be two trips, ie., one in the early morning and another in the afternoon. He said this is an attempt to provide social justice to these fisherwomen.
“The Chief Minister is likely to formally inaugurate the service of two buses in the second week of June,” said Baikampady. But the service will actually take off in August as the fishing season comes to an end in June, he added.
The corporation hopes the buses will come to the rescue of the hundreds of fisherwomen who have a difficult time convincing the local bus services to allow them to carry their fish baskets on board everyday from the fishing port to the markets.
