Mangalore, June 03: A meeting was scheduled with bus operators, RTO officials and general public on June 3 by Deputy Commissioner, A.B. Ibrahim to discuss the appeal made by the DK District Bus Operators Association seeking permission to revise private bus fares forthwith.
Pointing out that the diesel price was Rs 61.30 per liter, Rajavarma Ballal, President of the Canara Bus Operators Association said that a bus can get a mileage of 3.5 km per liter and the maintenance cost of a bus too had shot up to about Rs 90,000 per month making it inevitable to increase the fares. He also mentioned that, bus fares have been already increased in other places like Shimoga and Chikmagalur.
President of Nagarika Hitharakshana Samithi, Hanumanth Kamath, said the buses owned by the DK Bus Operators Association do not have the mandatory exit doors. He further alleged that the RTO officials turn a blind eye even if the contract carriage buses flout rules and ply up to State Bank though they are permitted to travel only up to Jyothi.
BK Imtiyaz, DYFI leader said that there were possibilities of reduction in diesel prices, he requested the authorities to press government buses into service if the private operators are finding it difficult to run buses.
Orders are to be awaited and no firm decision was made but it can be asserted that as per the government notification, the private bus fares are likely to be increased by 8 per cent for all stages except Stage I for which the fare would remain the same Rs.7/-as at present. All concerned feel that Govt. buses should be introduced in a big way as the private operators feel they are at loss due to their public service and the fares are way too high really for the common man.
Sadashiva Prabhu, Additional DC, Dr Sharanappa, SP, AA Khan, RTO, representatives of private bus operators and public were present.
