News: Clement Pais

Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Jan 8: The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) of Dakshina Kannada held a special meeting at DC's office in the city on January 8 to decide on reducing the private bus fares.

The office bearers of bus owners associations were unhappy about reducing bus fares, despite diesel price decline. They said that the cost of maintaining the buses has increased.

Speaking at the meeting, K Rajaverma Ballal, president of Canara Bus Operator's Association said, "The diesel prices have come down but the cost of maintaining the buses has increased. A pair of tyre is costing around Rs 29,495, cost of resole is Rs 4,300, the insurance is now Rs 60,000 and re-boring of engine costs after there years around Rs 1,30,000 and much more. Now the average diesel cost per passenger kilometer is Rs 15.50, average running cost per passenger is Rs 33.097.”

In reply to that Hanumantha Kamath of Mangalore-based Nagarika Hitarakshana Vedike said, "RTO is not working properly, the buses are over crowded always, where does the extra profit goes, I do not think that they are changing tyres or oil every day. This is an excuse. The diesel prices have come down, the bus fares also have to come down".

As the discussion got heated up, the war of words increased. Dakshina Kannada district Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim said, "We want to find a solution, and bus fares have to come down. Fighting will not give a solution. The diesel prices have come down to the levels of 2013. The ticket fares were revised on August 20, 2013. As the diesel prices are now similar to that date, we can cancel the revised rates of 2014. If the price still come down to Rs 45 we can have another discussion. We can have yet another discussion when prices increase to Rs 60 in future.”, he said.

Hanumantha Kamath, along with other unions agreed to the suggestion of DC, but bus owners associations are not convinced yet.

The final notification and order is likely to come out within a week. The bus fares of both rural and urban buses are expected to be reduced.

Superintendent of Police S D Sharanappa said, "All the drivers and conductors need to have soft skills, within two months. The bus owner's associations need to arrange classes for them, as to how to behave with the passengers, specially senior citizens and women and children and physically challenged people in the society. All the buses must have first aid box and suggestion box which will improve the quality of the services.”, he said.

Mangaluru Regional Transport Officer Afzal Ahmed Khan said that already 45 buses have been booked for not using electronic ticket issuing machines.