Daijiworld News Network- Udupi (AF)
                                                  
Udupi, May 22: The new service bus stand-cum-commercial complex in the district was inaugurated on Sunday May 21 here.

Speaking before the inauguration, minister for transport Cheluvarayaswamy said that the department of transport will develop driving tracks throughout the state where drivers wanting to procure driving licenses will have to take driving tests. Sites for this purpose have already been identified at Shimoga and Bangalore, he said.

The bus stand was built at a cost of Rs 1.41 crore by the Karnataka Urban Development Coastal Environment Management Programme (KUDCEMP).

A sum of Rs 50 crore had been allotted to the four state-owned transport corporations by the government to improve the basic infrastructure at bus stands and depots, he said. The minister also promised that 30 restaurants would be opened along national highways and these restaurants would be leased out to private parties.

Online booking or tele-booking using credit cards has been introduced under the 'Avatar' scheme to facilitate booking tickets to any place from anywhere, he added. The vacant posts of 150 regional transport officers will be filled up within three months.

Among those present were Udupi CMC president Shanta K Naik, district in-charge minister Dr V S Acharya, Udupi MLA K Raghupati Bhat, RTO M P Omkareshwari, KUDCEMP engineer Rajashekar, CMC commissioner Chikkanna, councillor Vasanti Shetty and CMC manager Kamalaksha Pai.