Daijiworld News Network- Mangalore (AF)

Mangalore, May 16: A hunger strike was proclaimed by the members of KSRTC Mazdoor Sangha here on Monday May 15 demanding the implementation of High Court orders regarding the contract carriages.

K M Suryanarayana Rao, general secretary of the association and B Purandar Bhat, president, Mangalore unit, said that the private operators have been flouting the rules pertaining contract carriages and the district administration has failed to ensure adherence to the regulations adopted in the amended Contract Carriage Act of 2003 by the state government.

The Act prohibits letting passengers to alight at any point between the starting and ending points, but the buses along the Mangalore-Puttur and Mangalore-Beltangady routes stop at every cross-roads and take in passengers. The members also alleged that the private carriage personnel also manhandle drivers and conductors of these busses.

They further demanded that the state government should retract the amendments made to the Act or bring the contract carriages under control, failing which they would organise 'disruption of contract carriage services.'

The hunger strike will go on till May 20.