Deputy Commissioner and Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Chairman K.G. Jagadeesha on Monday reacted positively to long-pending grievances of general public with regard to non-issue of tickets and steep steps in private buses in the district.
Presiding over the RTA meeting here, Mr. Jagadeesha directed all private city bus operators to reduce the height of steps to the prescribed 52 cm (from ground level) by August-end and service bus operators by September-end.
The operators would have to submit a certificate that they have complied with the directions by the first week of subsequent month. Failure to comply with the directions would not just result in imposition of fine; but more severe action, he said responding to grievance of Ismail from Someshwara.
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With regard to grievance of non-issue of tickets, as raised by social activist G. Hanumanth Kamath, Mr. Jagadeesha chided the transport department officials saying the issue should not have come to him at all.
“The Regional Transport Officer should’ve ensured that all operators confirm with the law.” Rubbishing operators’ complaint that electronic ticketing machines would fail many times, Mr. Jagadeesha wondered how service bus operators and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation could be managing the system without any fail. He directed the transport department to take stern action for failure to issue tickets.
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Earlier, Mr. Kamath had alleged that the department would conduct some raids and book cases against a few buses for non-issue of tickets and other violations, just a few days ahead of RTA meeting. This is nothing but to pretend that the department is taking action, he had said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jagadeesha also directed private bus operators that drivers and conductors start wearing uniform within a month, responding to another grievance.
Prepaid autorickshaw counters
On the often repeated complaint of improper functioning of prepaid autorickshaw counter at Mangaluru Central Railway Station and absence of such a counter at Mangaluru Junction Station, Mr. Jagadeesha asked in-charge Senior RTO G.S. Hegde to write a letter to the City Police Commissioner, seeking his views on the demand for police personnel handling the counters. Mr. Kamath had said that everywhere else it is the police who are manning the counter and only in Mangaluru the system has been outsourced thereby causing severe inconvenience to general public.
He also asked the operators to ensure that the front door is used only by women passengers.
Superintendent of Police C.H. Sudheer Kumar Reddy and others were present.