Pics: Ramesh Pandith
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Oct 20: The RTA meeting to discuss revision of private bus fares in DK district was held on Saturday October 20, chaired by DC Dr Channappa Gowda and RTO C Mallikarjuna.
 
The proposal of Canara Bus Owners’ Association to hike the bus fare by 15% was robustly flayed by various public unions.

Sadanand of Nagarika Horata Samithi questioned the necessity for increasing the minimum private bus fare from Rs 5 when the KSRTC buses are able to operate with minimum fare of Rs 4. He said that people are forced to ply in private buses not like human beings, but they are packed like animals in the buses. If private buses want to continue their operation then more buses should be run during peak hours, otherwise let there be KSRTC buses in all routes, he stressed.
 
Ismail, former panchayath member, Someshwar complained that more than 200 commuters are filled in buses with the capacity up to 30 to 40 passengers. Private bus owners having enjoyed profitable business are now proposing fare hike without valid reasons, he said and added that cost of spare parts also have not increased.
 
Mohammed Rafiq said that meager hike in bus fare can be tolerated. He added that in many of the private buses plying from various places to Mangalore do not arrive at State Bank (end point), but they just mention their final point as Mangalore and stop in Mallikatta or Kankanady. He urged that KSRTC services should be extended to all routes in the city.
 
Demands for charging half fare to the handicapped and to issue special passes for endosulfan victims were also raised during the meeting.
 
A resident of Someshwar said that KSRTC bus should be operated between State Bank terminal and Someshwar. He complained that many private buses plying currently will be jam packed once they reach Pumpwell.
 
Hanumanth Kamath of Nagarika Hitarakshana Samithi said that hike in the bus fare is not justified from any point of view. He flayed that the district administration is bending to the lobby of private bus owners. Those working in cloth shops, xerox shops will not have reasonable amount of salary to cope up with the hike in bus fares.

He urged the DC to avail KSRTC bus services to Someshwar, Neerumarga, Bondel and Surathkal among other places. He pointed out that monopoly of private bus service in the district should be reverted. He urged for KSRTC bus operation in all the routes.
 
DC after hearing the discontent of many people over hike in bus fares said that he has heard the proposal of the bus owners as well as the objections made by the public and will take a justifiable decision before the next RTA meeting.