Udupi: Ab 'bus'! Duo goes on 'Satyagraha fast' against RTO's inaction

Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (UM)

Udupi, Jan 30: The premises of RTO at Manipal here witnessed a 'Satyagraha fast' on Wednesday January 29.

The fast was undertaken by Suresh of Perdoor and his friend and business partner Jayaprakash, against the RTO as well as a bus owner for allegedly troubling them over transfer of permit to run a bus.

It is said that three months ago, Suresh and Jayaprakash had bought a bus that runs between Ajekar and Udupi from its owner-cum-driver Ashok.

However, though documents were ready and the deal was finalized, Ashok failed to appear in RTA office to transfer the bus permit in the duo's name.

As per rules, if the owner does not transfer the permit within 30 days, the RTA can get it done on its own. However, the RTO officials too have been delaying the process by giving petty excuses, allege Suresh and Jayaprakash. When the two again visited the RTO on Tuesday January 28, they were told to wait again as the officer had gone to Mysore.

Frustrated with the inaction, Suresh and Jayaprakash began a 'Satyagraha fast' on Wednesday in front of the RTO in Manipal

The duo say that as they do not have the permit yet, they have not been able to operate the bus, but are required to pay the road tax. "If we are late in pay the tax even by a day, a heavy fine is imposed, but for the last three months we have been running pillar to post but the RTO is not bothered," they said.

"In Mangalore and Shimoga, the transfer of permit takes only two days, but here it's been three months. It indicates that the RTO must be acting under someone's influence," they alleged.

The bus was earlier operated by Ashok. However, he fell into trouble after locals alleged that he had harassed a girl. Thereafter, he was prohibited from operating the bus on Ajekar-Udupi route, and he went on to drive another bus. As he could not run the Ajekar-Udupi bus, he sold it to Suresh and Jayaprakash four months ago.