MANGALORE : If everything had gone well, 90 city buses of the KSRTC had to be on
the roads of Mangalore by March end. But the KSRTC city bus proposal that had been
put forth even before the Mangalore-Udupi Volvo bus proposal, has still remained a
dream mainly owing to the lobbying by private bus operators.
The result-the proposal has still remained on paper. Applications had been filed to the
Regional Transport Authority in November 2008, seeking permits for 90 KSRTC city
buses. But the permission was not granted on the grounds that there was no proper bus
stand facility. But, now even after the KSRTC has developed a full-fledged facility near
Kuntikan, that can accommodate 125 buses, the proposal has not been given a green
signal.
As a circular issued by the district administration in the year 1992 does not allow KSRTC
city bus services from State Bank, the KSRTC had sought the RTA approval to start
90 city bus services with Jyothi Circle as the starting point. The 1992 circular had been
issued in the backdrop of the high density of vehicles in the State Bank area.
As per the survey conduced by the KSRTC in the city limits, 75 per cent of the private
buses pass through Jyothi Circle which had high traffic and even the KSRTC wanted
permission for its buses via Jyothi like Talapady-Jyothi-Suratkal, Mangaladevi-Jyothi-
Kunjatbail and Bondel-Jyothi-Mangaladevi.
But the RTA meets until now have not permitted this proposal and the KSRTC hopes the
forthcoming meeting may give a green signal to the same.
Already, the KSRTC has come up with a new bus terminus near Kuntikan junction at a
cost of Rs 2 crores and the terminus is spread in an 3.5 acre land facilitating a workshop
and accommodation for 125 buses.
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