Pic: Umesh Marpalli

Daijiworld Media Network-Udupi (HB) 

Udupi, Aug 30: “The circumstances of private bus operators especially, the Hanuman Transport Private Limited (HTPL) and its employees are in grave danger. The lives of thousands of private bus operators are put in trouble due to the introcudtion of government bus services,” said president of HTPC employee’s association, Rajasab in a press meet here on Tuesday August 29.

“The government released NERM buses for rural areas in the name of development but they must also think about the situation of private employees while approving buses for Udupi- Shivamogga route through Agumbe. These government buses do not follow their schedule strictly which causes problems to private bus operators,” he said.

Recently, director of HTP had called for an emergency meeting with employees to discuss the agenda of shutting down the company due to financial crisis. It is learnt that the company is running with huge loss.

Hundreds of employees will come to the street if the company is shut down. People are afraid of losing their jobs and daily earnings for their livelihood.

“We have 82 buses operating in Udupi-Agumbe-Shivamogga route. The government NERM buses are operating because of dirty politics. The government should provide alternative jobs for our employees or else we have only one option of committing suicide,” he said.

Members of the association requested the government to stop the government buses on Udupi-Shivamogga routes or make all private buses government buses. The state government should find solutions to this problem, they said.

Shailendra Shetty, vice president, Udupi unit, G Nagraj, Devaraj and others were present.