Rajasaab H. Nandihalli, president, Hanuman Transport Company Employees’ Union, on Tuesday said that either the State government should stop the operation of its low-floor buses in Udupi district or nationalise all the routes and provide employment to all workers of private bus companies.
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Nandihalli said that in the name of development, the State government had introduced Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) low-floor buses in the district. These buses were meant for Udupi city and its surrounding areas and to villages which did not have bus facility.
Now, however, these low-floor buses were moving on the Agumbe-Shivamogga route as well. This has affected the earnings of the private buses along that route. Besides, the KSRTC low-floor buses were not maintaining the timings given to them. This had resulted in unfair competition.
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The Managing Director of Hanuman Transport Pvt. Ltd. had, in a meeting with the union on August 14, said that it was no longer possible for the company to run the buses on the route as it was incurring heavy losses. He had also said that the company would close down. Such a move would hit the employees hard. As many as six families of employees were dependent on each private bus. If the company shut, the employees would be on the streets.
“We urge the government to stop the operation of the KSRTC low-floor buses or nationalise all routes in the State and provide employment to all workers of private bus companies who will be thrown out of work,” he said.
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This opinion was also shared by the employees of other private bus companies.
The union will be submitting its memorandum to all elected representatives and authorities concerned.
“If there is no positive response from the government, the employees of private buses in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and other districts will launch an agitation,” Mr. Nandihalli said.