The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), which is striving to gain a foothold in undivided Dakshina Kannada, will focus on augmenting infrastructure to boost its services, including constructing new depots and creating a new division in Udupi.
Three depots in Mangaluru and one each depot in Udupi and Kundapur form the Mangaluru Division of KSRTC now.
The corporation has plans to construct one more depot each in Kundapur and Mangaluru and new depots at Byndoor, Karkala and Kukke Subrahmanya, said corporation chairman and Byndoor MLA K. Gopal Poojary, while addressing media persons along with Managing Director S.R. Umashankar in Udupi and Mangaluru on Monday.
The press conferences were followed by meetings with Transport Department officials regarding issue of permits to operate KSRTC services in the two districts.
Increasing demand
Mr. Umashankar said that the corporation did not have much local operation in the twin districts since the region was catered to by private operators. However, demand for KSRTC services is on the rise because of the several benefits and, particularly, legislators are making fervent demands to introduce services in large numbers. Before introducing new services, the corporation has to strengthen its infrastructure to ensure smooth operations, he said.
The new Udupi division is likely to have depots in Udupi, Kundapur, Byndoor and Karkala under its fold, while Mangaluru Division would have four depots in Mangaluru and also get the depot at B.C. Road, which is now under the Puttur Division.
Suitable land has been sought from the respective district administrations to construct the depot even as Mr. Poojary has himself identified a nine-acre plot at Byndoor for the depot.
New permits
Buoyed by the success of its Mangaluru (State Bank)-Bhatkal Volvo services, KSRTC would seek permits to operate similar services between Mangaluru and Kumta, Mr. Poojary said.
In Udupi, 46 low-floor buses are operating on 32 routes and permits are awaited for 20 more routes, Mr. Umashankar said. Meanwhile, 124 applications seeking permits to operate buses in Dakshina Kannada are yet to be sanctioned by the Regional Transport Authority; while the schedule is to be given in respect of 21 permits which have been granted, Mr. Umashankar said. MLAs J.R. Lobo and B.A. Moideen Bava, KSRTC Mangaluru Divisional Controller M. Deepak Kumar, Divisional Traffic Officer M.B. Jaishanth Kumar, Directors T.K. Sudhir and Ramesh Shetty were present.
