Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jan 30: State transport minister R Ashok said that the popular demand for nationalization of routes in Dakshina Kannad and Udupi districts, and the aim of commencing operation of government bus services here, have not yet been met because of non-cooperation of people’s representatives. He was replying to questions posed by reporters during his visit to the city on Saturday January 28.

He said that Volvo bus services run by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation between Mangalore – Manipal – Kasargod route have got good response from the people, but lamented the fact that these services are of use to the higher strata of the society alone, and not to the poor people.

“Dr V S Acharya has shown some inclination for nationalization of bus routes in the coastal districts. But other peoples’ representatives, government officials, owners of private buses, and courts, have been blocking this under one pretext or the other,” he lamented. He said that the discretion as which mode they want to travel by, should be left to people, and pointed out that stay orders brought against the running of government buses by private bus owners have blocked his efforts. He also said that a notification issued by the deputy commissioner, who also is the district magistrate, which prohibits running of government buses to the bus stand here, has is hindering the interests of the people. He felt that the government buses can run from the private bus stand, if the deputy commissioner eases this stricture.

After visiting the private bus stand near State Bank, the minister opined that this bus stand should have been moved out long back. When the reporters told him that the bus stand has been functioning in the hockey ground against the court orders, he wanted to know what the concerned people are doing about it.