R. Vishal, Deputy Commissioner, on Saturday directed Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Arun Kumar Singh to do a thorough checking of private buses to prevent overcharging of passengers. He was presiding over a Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting here.
Dr. Vishal said that the RTO should take any complaints on overcharging or other matters seriously. If they responded to the complaints immediately, many problems could be nipped in the bud. Though 13 buses were supposed to operate on the Ambagilu-Kalsank route in the city, they were not doing so.
The RTO should make a list of those private buses violating route permits and overcharging passengers and take action against them. “If necessary, we will cancel their permits,” he said.
Earlier, B. Nayak and Manjunath Nayak of Guddeangady village complained that private service buses plying in their area were overcharging. Though they had complained to the RTO, action was not forthcoming. The RTA should allow government buses to operate in rural areas, they said.
R.L. Dias, president, Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha, said the railway overbridge at Indrali here should be widened. The present overbridge supported only a two-lane road. It should be widened to four-lane. The entire Udupi-Manipal Road was now a four-lane road except the railway overbridge.
Since the Udupi-Manipal road was now part of National Highway 169A, he had approached the National Highways Authority of India. But they passed the buck to the Konkan Railway and vice-versa. The existing overbridge had even led to some road accidents, he said.
Dr. Vishal directed Mr. Singh to hold a meeting with other departments concerned on widening the railway overbridge. On introduction of Karnataka Road Transport Corporation buses, he said that the KSRTC could apply for route permits in the rural areas so too could the private sector buses. Both the private sector and KSRTC no doubt had to make profits. But they also had a social obligation to serve the people.
Deputy Commissioner directs officials to
check private buses
