Bangalore: Transport Minister N. Chaluvaraya Swamy on Tuesday said the State transport undertakings (STUs) have urged the Government to provide more number of bus passes to people with disabilities and offer 25 per cent concession to senior citizens.

He was speaking to presspersons at the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation's 45th Foundation Day celebrations here. He said the four transport corporations were keen to increase the number of bus passes issued to people with disability from 50,000 to one lakh and increase the travel limit for student pass holders from 40 km a day to 50 km.

The Minister, who is also the chairman of the four STUs, launched two new categories of luxury bus services — Meghdoot, and Mayura air-conditioned sleeper coach — on the occasion. "I am confident that the new bus services will gain popularity soon. Both types of buses have been built in the KSRTC's own workshops at a cost of Rs. 25 lakh each," he said.

Mr. Chaluvaraya Swamy said the sleeper coach was introduced because demand was high from commuters travelling on the Mangalore and Chennai sectors from Bangalore.

He exhorted KSRTC employees to work together to make the corporation a model in the country. "We have to make the KSRTC accident free and everybody should work towards that end," he said.

The Minister said the STUs would set up bus depots wherever necessary to strengthen infrastructure. The KSRTC planned depots at Magadi, Yelahanka, K.R. Pet, Nagamangala, Siddlagatta, Sagar and Pavagada. The corporations need more manpower to offer better and efficient service and, hence, there was a move to fill over 11,400 vacancies of driver, conductor and driver-cum-conductor. Also, tenders to empanel more franchisees for the online ticketing system, AWATAR, would be floated within a few days, he added.

Retired officers felicitated

Later, he felicitated retired officers of the four corporations.

D. Thangaraju, Principal Secretary to Government, Transport Department; M.R. Srinivasamurthy, managing director of KSRTC; Bhaskar Rao, director (Operations and Vigilance), KSRTC; Mohammed Wazir Ahmed, director (Personnel and Environment), KSRTC; Upendra Tripathi, managing director, BMTC; and P.K. Sandhu, director (Vigilance), BMTC, were present.

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