Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Dec 8: The private buses, which were barred from operating on the highway between the city and Kasargod, have resumed their services. The owners of the buses said that they have preferred an appeal in the Supreme Court now, and till that the appeal is decided, the buses will continue to run on this route.

It may be recalled that following a notice issued by the Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Kasargod, to the private bus operators, citing a Supreme Court verdict that had ruled that private buses on inter-state route paying on the said route were barred from doing so. Accordingly, the buses had temporarily stopped their operations since Saturday last, resulting in lot of inconveniences to the people. However, on the basis of temporary permits issued by the Regional Transport Commissioner, several buses had resumed operations from Monday December 7.

The Supreme Court had asked the Regional Transport Authority to cancel the permits of all the private buses moving on this route. However, several bus owners, who hold permits till 2012, have through an appeal, requested the Supreme Court to permit them to operate buses till the expiry of these permits. The private bus operators also plan to approach the state High Court against the notices served by the RTO.

RTO, Chandran Nair, said that the notices in question had been served on Saturday last, as per the directions of the State Transport Authority and that the local regional transport office has no role to play in this issue.