Karnataka - Bellary   

NEKRTC to decide on rural bus service soon

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELLARY, JULY 14. N. Shivanagappa, Vice-Chairman of the North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC), Gulbarga, said that the introduction of minibus service in rural areas was still under consideration and a decision would be taken very soon.

Speaking to presspersons here today, Mr. Shivanagappa said that the NEKRTC had been monitoring the profitability and other aspects of the corporations, which had introduced the minibus service. He said that steps would then be taken to introduce the same in NEKRTC. Mr. Shivanagappa informed that the NEKRTC had proposed to procure 100 buses by obtaining a loan of Rs. 20 crore.

He said that constant monitoring, stepping up vigil, running buses as per schedule, and the staff's cooperation and hard work had helped the Corporation clear its losses. He said that the remaining loss of around Rs. 6 crore would be cleared soon and the corporation would start making profits.

According to him, around 30 depots of the Corporation covering five districts in the Hyderabad-Karnatak region, were under a loss and efforts were on to bring them out of the red. Bad roads were the main reason for incurring losses, as spares parts, tyres frequently needed replacement.

Around 1,000 more buses were required to improve the bus services in all the districts coming under the NEKRTC. Presently, around 2,450 schedules, including buses taken on contract, were being operated, he said, and 200 more buses would be added this year.

Basic amenities, including drinking water, sulabh shouchalayas, asphalting, were being improved in the bus stands with the assistance from the Hyderabad Karnataka Area Development Board. He said that the process of acquiring land had begun in many places and the construction of new bus stands would begin soon.

Mr. Shivanagappa, who inspected the construction work at the new bus stand in Bellary, said that around 80 percent of the work had been completed and would be ready by December.

V.N. Girimallappa, Director of NEKRTC, and Venkataramanappa, Divisional Controller, Bellary, were present.

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