The Hindu : Karnataka News : Private buses go off the road

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 11, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

Private buses go off the road

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHITRADURGA, AUG. 10. Private buses in Chitradurga district went off the road in protest against the increase in fuel prices and also the transport policy of the State Government on Tuesday. The "bandh" was peaceful.

The district administration had made alternative arrangements to help the rural people in view of the "bandh" call given by the private bus owners.

The bus owners had called for the "bandh" to draw the attention of the Government to their problems. Rising prices of fuel and spares, heavy taxes and the poor condition of rural roads had made the operation of private buses a loss making venture, B.S. Linga Reddy, president of the Chitradurga District Private Bus Owners Association, said.

The private bus stand wore a deserted look. A few Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses operated on some rural routes. Some private vehicles were pressed into service by the Transport Department. Care was taken to help the ailing and pregnant women, H.T. Halaswamy, Regional Transport Officer of Chitradurga district, said.

Inconvenience

Our Shimoga Special Correspondent reports:

The "bandh" caused inconvenience to commuters in Shimoga district, which is largely served by private buses. The city buses too went off the road in response to the "bandh" call.

The private bus stand, which wore a deserted look on account of the "bandh", became a playing ground for street children.

As many as 460 private bus owners responded to the "bandh" call in the district.

The KSRTC pressed some buses into service in areas such as Shikaripur, Tirthahalli, Hosnagar and Sagar.

Several programmes were put off in view of the "bandh".

Autorickshaw drivers made quick money as the city bus services were also withdrawn.

KSRTC to the rescue

Our Tumkur Staff Correspondent reports:

The KSRTC pressed into service 26 buses, which made more than 120 trips on non-monopoly routes, to offset the impact of the "bandh", according to the Divisional Traffic Manager, K. Srinivas. He said that even the remotest of villages were covered by bus service today.

Passengers vans and taxis reported good business.

Commuters hit

Our Mysore Staff Correspondent reports:

The "bandh" call affected about 50,000 commuters, mostly villagers, in Mysore district. The regular commuters who transport vegetables and agricultural produce had to rely on goods vehicles, taxis and lorries albeit paying extra fare.

Rs. 3 cr. loss

Our Mangalore Staff Correspondent reports:

The President of the State Federation of Private Transporters, Rajavarma Ballal, told The Hindu that more than 7,500 private buses did not operate in the State in response to the "bandh" call. He said the loss today was put at Rs. 3 crores.

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