KSRTC launches services between State Bank, railway station

A long-pending demand on providing the much-needed connectivity to Mangaluru Junction Railway Station was realised on Sunday as Mangaluru South MLA D Vedavyas Kamath flagged off the KSRTC’s city bus services between State Bank and railway station via Padil.

Kamath, addressing a gathering, said the facility would be of much help to local residents as well as railway passengers.

He said two buses will ply on the route at an interval of about one hour to make 19 single trips.

Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) on February 14 had issued a temporary permit, valid upto June 13, to help KSRTC operate the bus services.

The first trip from Mangaluru Junction will begin at 6.50 am and the final trip will end at 6.35 pm. From State Bank, the first trip will begin at 7.30 am and the final trip will begin at 5.55 pm. Buses will ply via Dr Ambedkar Circle (Jyothi), Bunts Hostel, Kadri, Nanthoor, Maroli and Padil.

Social activist Gopalakrishna Bhat, welcoming the new bus services, said, “Mangaluru Junction had very few bus services.”

He recollects launching a campaign for the bus services eight years ago and meeting Palakkad Railway Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Member Ivan D’Souza.

Later, Bhat had approached Lokayukta and the then Lokayukta Chief Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty had directed the district administration and the RTA to consider the request in 2017.

When MLA Vedavyas Kamath, local corporators of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) and residents took a keen interest, the demand was finally realised, said Bhat.

The bus service connects State Bank with Mangaluru Junction for the first time, he added.

RTA had also issued a temporary permit to KSRTC on February 14 to operate city services between State Bank and Adyar (Sahyadri College) via Bunts Hostel, Maroli and Kannur. The service is yet to be introduced.

Bhat urged people’s representatives and the KSRTC to operate existing KSRTC services between State Bank and Jalligudde/ Bajal via Mangaluru Junction Railway Station.