Mangalore, Oct 25 (The Hindu): The conductors in over 100 private buses in Dakshina Kannada district, including a few in the city, will soon use hand-held machines to issue tickets to commuters.

The city-based East Zone Bus Owners' Federation announced that the machines would be released at a function here on Monday. Federation president Seshappa Shetty told presspersons here on Saturday that the conductors were being trained to use the new hand-held ticketing machines. He appealed to the commuters to cooperate with the federation by insisting on tickets.

He said the federation office-bearers had observed how these machines were being used in Maharashtra. Each unit would cost Rs. 8,500 for the federation, he said. He said the buses travelling in Mangalore-Thokkottu-Konaje- Mudipu- Manjanadi-Vitla- B.C. Road route would begin using the handheld machines. Training sessions were held to sensitise conductors about their behaviour with commuters.

To Be Extended

Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association general secretary Aziz Parthipady said the use of the machines could be extended to other buses in the city depending on the success of the East Zone – consisting of parts of Mangalore, Bantwal and Puttur taluks.

There were about 340 buses in the city. Of them, conductors in about 20 city buses would carry the hand-held equipment under the East Zone Federation's project. He denied that the machines were being introduced to prevent pilferage of revenue for bus owners. A mecha ni sm to check ticke -less travel would be in place soon.

Bad Roads

Bus owners' associations had submitted a memorandum to the district administration seeking immediate road repair.

Bad roads resulted in losses to bus owners forcing them to withdraw some services. He said the bus owners were planning an agitation.