Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 12: The first batch of three buses that will begin plying on city routes will take to roads on Wednesday December 16. The entire fleet of 17 government buses under National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) will begin to operate within the next ten days, said Vivekananda Hegde, divisional controller of the city unit of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).

He added that KSRTC has made necessary arrangements to run its first bus under the scheme at 7 am on Wednesday. He said that during the next ten days, all 17 city buses under the scheme will start serving the citizens of the city. He said that the corporation will be able to provide efficient service to the people if they extend wholehearted support to this initiative.

It is gathered that the service will be inaugurated symbolically without any function, as code conduct in view of legislative council election is in force.

Out of 35 buses sanctioned under the said scheme to the city, 17 have got permits, although KSRTC had sought permits for 18 buses. As per the suggestion of the regional transport authority, a fresh application has been made relating to the other bus by altering the desired route. The remaining buses will get permits in course of time.

As new buses under the scheme are yet to be supplied, initially these buses have been obtained from Mysuru. These one-year-old buses have low floors and are equipped with all conveniences prescribed under NURM. Works like preparing name boards, voice recording about bus stops etc and appointment of locals as bus conductors and drivers have also been completed, sources said.