Upalokayukta Subhash B. Adi has directed the Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner, City Police Commissioner and the Regional Transport Officer to act against private buses operating in violation of permit conditions, including contract carriage buses.
He was hearing a complaint from a resident of Manila village about poor services by a private stage carriage operator to the village on Thursday. The complainant said the operations have been erratic.
The complainant also pointed out that there are many private buses operating illegally in Mangaluru and other parts of the district. While buses operating under contract carriage permit are not supposed to operate like stage carriage buses picking up and dropping passengers en route, all of them flout the condition. They also enter the central business district in Mangaluru in violation of permit conditions and the District Magistrate Notification, the complainant said.
There are also buses operating without permit and some stage carriage buses conduct multiple trips against single permit, he said. A transport department official said lack of space to park seized buses has been hampering rigorous enforcement of law. Mr. Adi directed the district administration to make space available to the department to park seized buses.
Meanwhile, a KSRTC official informed the Upalokayukta that the corporation has been suffering huge losses because of illegal operation by private operators. The corporation too has paucity of space and thus cannot oblige transport department’s request to park seized private buses, he said.
Mr. Adi directed the Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and the Regional Transport Officer to work in coordination and prevent illegal operation of private buses and to submit an action taken report by November 10.
Mr. Adi directed the KSRTC to survey the route leading to Manila Village and start a bus service.
Joint survey
During the hearing on the complaint regarding stone quarry in Puttur taluk on Wednesday, Uplokayukta directed the Assistant Conservator of Forests Puttur and Revenue Inspector to conduct a joint survey for demarcation of forest and revenue land.
Proper demarcation was necessary to conserve forest. This would also prevent encroachment and illegal activities in forest areas, Mr. Adi observed.
Mr. Adi heard 26 cases in Puttur on Wednesday, and 31 complaints in Mangaluru on Thursday. He was to return to Bengaluru on Friday.
