Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (MS)
Udupi, Jun 16: Private buses are dominating the transport service in Udupi. Only a handful of KSRTC buses are plying in the district.
KSRTC buses are running only from one city to another city. Rural services are almost nil. There are no KSRTC buses for people living in Karkala to go to Sanoor, Mudarangadi, Belvai, Moodbidri, Nandalike, Renjala etc. Students of these rural areas who arrive to Karkala, Nitte and Udupi are dependent on private buses.
There are only 17 NURM buses operating in Udupi city limits. Private buses here are six times more than the KSRTC buses. While only five buses are running from Udupi to Karkala, nine buses are operating between Udupi and Hebri at present.
Representational image
From Udupi to Kundapur, private buses are available every 15 minutes. However, the KSRTC buses are just a handful.
Private bus owners are running buses since a century in Udupi. However, the Shakti scheme of the government has shaken their confidence.
Jayasheela Adyanthya, president of private bus owners’ association of Udupi said, “We are serving the public of Udupi since three generations. We will see the pros and cons of Shakti free bus facility for women for the next two months and then appeal to the government to provide us discount in tax and diesel subsidy.”
Though rge other cities of Karnataka have bought KSRTC buses under JNURM scheme, only a handful of buses run in the cities of Mangaluru and Udupi. The private bus owners say that due to their quality of service, public prefers private buses. However, there are accusations that the people's representatives of the twin districts put pressure on the government not to introduce government buses here. But Adyanthya denies this allegation.
Now, there is a huge demand to increase the government buses in the twin districts as free bus travel scheme is introduced throughout the state. Further, Udupi district is known to have the highest number of women voters and for them to avail the Shakthi scheme, more number of government buses are required. Leaders of all political parties are demanding more KSRTC buses now.