Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 12: It seems as if some city, private and express buses are scared of the sun. As soon as the sun approaches mid-day, buses are parked beneath a tree and begin running only after the sun has gone down.

Buses which run to Surathkal, Neerumarga, Konaje, Bajpe, Kasargod, Udupi and Karkala are functioning only between 6 am and 10 am and from 4 pm to 8 pm.

These buses which load excessive passengers during morning and evening time, cut their trips during rest of the day and park near Pandeshwar police ground, opposite commissioner’s office and RTO, near Rosario Church and in the shade near Nexus Mall.

    Representational image

These buses are the lifeline that connect between the two cities. They are supposed to run the whole day. However, they cut trips and put public to inconvenience. Passengers say that this trend which began during the Covid-19 lockdown is continuing still.

The officials of RTO and other concerned departments are not at all bothered and do not question the parking of these buses during mid day and afternoon in front of their offices itself. Even KSRTC buses cut their trips. It is seen that KSRTC buses plying to Suratkal, NITK, Khadgeshwari and many other rural areas are cutting down on their number of trips.

Gerald Pinto, resident of Bajpe says, “People living in rural areas are affected because of the cutting down of trips by the bus operators. The number of buses are very less for rural areas. They run only once in half an hour or one every hour. Passengers are facing severe inconvenience. RTO officials have to look into this issue.”