Florine Roche
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jan 4: It looks as though there is no end to the despair faced by passengers who want to travel from Mangaluru to different destinations. When passengers travelling from Mangaluru to Mumbai are running from pillar to post following the cancellation of bus services to Mumbai, passengers who came to KSRTC booking counter in Bejai faced a different hurdle on Saturday January 3.
Within 15 minutes of opening the booking counter officials said the KSRTC server was down. Tickets could not be booked due to this glitch resulting in a serpentine queue in front of the booking counter from early morning. Many who wanted to travel to different places yesterday waited in the long queue that failed to move ahead and finally some passengers went to private bus operators as a safe bet.
The worst affected were those who wanted to travel to Mumbai by KSRTC bus and had come from far off places, some with the luggage to book their tickets. Unlike others, they did not have the option of going to private operators as private operators are on strike. A few more people who had come for advance booking of tickets for coming week waited in the queue and went back saying they would come the next day. Even this reporter who had gone to book the tickets following her failure to book online, waited for 1 ½ hour and had to beat a hasty retreat as KSRTC officials said the server was down and they did not know what the actual problem was and when would be able to set it right.
On Sunday, January 4 also, the situation at KSRTC booking counter at Bejai was no different from what it was on Saturday.There was a long queue but fortunately it was moving, though at snail’s pace and officials said the server was still slow. Despite a long queue only one counter was open and it took at least half hour for each customer to get his/her ticket.
Girija from Goregaon, Mumbai who came down to Mangaluru along with her family during Christmas holidays says she had a harrowing time while coming to Mangaluru by train. “We tried to get train tickets but could not get confirmed tickets. Somehow we managed as we traveled standing from Goa to reach Mangaluru. My bus tickets to Mumbai were booked in advance but now I was told bus service to Mumbai are cancelled. I have been in the queue to try my luck by KSRTC bus”. After spending an agonizing one hour she was told there were no tickets to Mumbai for next two days.
When KSRTC manager was called on the mobile number 7760990700 given by the staff he said there was a glitch in the server and staff tried to correct the problem without success. When asked why only one counter was kept open despite such long queues, he said he will look into the matter and take appropriate action. However, when he was contacted again this afternoon to know the steps taken or know whether KSRTC has any plans to introduce additional buses due to tide over the present crisis and help the commuters he failed to answer the call and subsequently the mobile was found switched off.
This utter lack of professionalism by KSRTC at the time of the much touted M-Governance has come as a big shock to commuters who expect a better deal and professionalism. Many commuters would have preferred to travel by train to Bengaluru but now it has turned out to be a pain in the neck, which many prefer to avoid. The odd and long hours have been a non starter with many passengers who believe that the bus operator lobby has succeeded in defeating the very purpose of the train service. Somehow it looks as though there is no respite for Mangalorean bus traveler who continue to suffer.