The limited number of bus services from Udupi railway station is inconveniencing passengers here. Only six private bus operators ply about eight trips on the route.
If the train is late by even five minutes, passengers have to depend on pre-paid autorickshaw services. For a distance of 1 km (station to Udupi-Manipal Road), they end up paying the minimum fare of Rs. 25.
“While that may be all right for the affluent passengers, it’s not so for those who travel in general compartments. Some of them end up walking all the way to Udupi-Manipal Road for a bus,” said R.L. Dias, president of Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha.
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He also said that autorickshaw drivers do not let buses halt at the station beyond the stipulated time. Bus owners too have their problems. “There is no way we can wait long for passengers as it would affect trips to other parts of the city,” said K. Suresh Nayak, president of Udupi City Bus Owners Association.
The Sangha has proposed a solution. “The low-floored buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission are expected to be introduced by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation shortly. We have demanded three routes for these buses. They are: Malpe-Railway Station- DC Office; Katapady- Railway Station- DC Office; and Kallianpur- Gundibail- Railway Station- DC Office. The Regional Transport Authority has agreed to it,” Mr. Dias said.
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