Udupi: Need of the Hour - More Buses to Shree Kshetra Mandarthi

Pic: Subhanu Barkur
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (PS)
 
Udupi, Jul 13: Whoever said the path to God was not an easy one must have paid a visit to Shree Kshetra Mandarthi. 

Shree Kshetra Mandarthi is a historically famous holy place. Every day devotees in large numbers from various places like Thirthahalli, Koppa, Shringeri, Sagar, Shimoga, Hebri, Kundapur and Udupi throng the temple to do darshan of Shree Devi.

But while the number of devotees to the holy place has been increasing, there has been a decline in the number of buses plying to Shree Kshetra.

Shree Kshetra Mandarthi is not just a religious place, but is also developing in the field of education. Thousands of students are pursuing their education here. Their only mode of public transport is buses, which are few in number. Consequently, every bus that plys to and fro the place is overloaded with students and devotees.

During peak hours buses plying on routes like Shiroor, Moorukai, Goliyangady are filled to capacity and often seen with passengers hanging on to doors and window grills or sitting on the top of the bus, which can be highly dangerous.

People here complain that though there is route permit to run buses every 15 minutes in village routes, private bus owners are operating one bus on three permits. Moreover, there are also allegations that they charge more fares than fixed by the Udupi RTO.
 
The best solution to the problem would be the introduction of government buses on the Mandarthi route, which will benefit students, devotees and other daily commuters. Besides, they will obtain pass facility, students will get concession on bus fare and there will be special discounts for senior citizens and physically challenged people.
 
However, though there is a public demand to introduce government buses, nothing has been done so far, and the lobby by private bus operators is further thwarting the process.