Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)

Mangaluru, May 4: Senior citizens will have additional two seats reserved for them in the local city buses from Friday May 5, informed deputy commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesh during a meeting of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) held at the RTO here on Thursday May 4.

Addressing the meeting, the deputy commissioner said that the decision was taken on the basis of a request from bus commuters' association.

"It is a serious issue. Aged people have been finding it difficult to get comfortable seats in buses. Nowadays, senior citizens are travelling by buses in large numbers. Already, they have two reserved seats, now they will get additional two seats in both private and KSRTC buses running in Mangaluru RTO limits," he said.

Nagarika Hita Rakshane Vedike members pointed out the issue of bus bay near St Aloysius College, complaining that buses were not entering this bus bay and collecting passengers from the roadside instead. "This leads to traffic jam in the area," they said. The DC in response warned the bus owners' association members that if buses do not enter the bay, they would be seized by the police and the RTO.

The DC also directed the KSRTC and the private bus owners to extend two buses each on Mangaluru-Mudipu route up to Konaje University campus.

Various complaints were raised in the meeting about auto drivers charging exorbitantly in the city, and non-issual of tickets in buses. The DC ordered the RTO to take swift action against auto drivers and bus conductors who are found guilty of violating the laws.

The RTO requested all bus owners to change the name 'Jyothi circle' to 'Dr Ambedker circle' in route display boards.

Superintendent of police Bhushan G Borase, DCP Sanjeeva Patil, RTO G S Hegde and others were present.