This dangerous development has missed the eyes of the authorities, including transport minister R Ashoka. The city and mofussil services have been divided between two partners.
Whoever feels that private initiative in passenger transport is a good idea, has to see it to believe the perilous state of operations in places where the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is not operational.
The private operators are seen breaking every rule in the book, flouting safety norms. Mangalore is one such place to witness these offences.
This dangerous development has missed the eyes of the authorities, including transport minister R Ashoka. The city and mofussil services have been divided between two partners. The vehicle is owned by the investor but for all practical purposes, drivers and conductors operate on contract by paying a daily sustenance to the registered owner.
“This contract is detrimental to the safety of passengers as well as other road users. The drivers and conductors in their frenzy to make some money for themselves over and above the ‘daily collection’, run their vehicles without any consideration towards road rules,” said Hanumanth Kamath, the president of Nagarika Hitarakshna Vedike.
Police figures indicate that every year, nearly 120 people die due to negligent and rash driving on Mangalore roads. And the government has still not introduced KSRTC services here, he pointed out.
“There is a high-level corruption involved here. It’s true that private operators have served the public for the past 75 years, but in the past 10 years, after the entry of single bus owners, the competition has become fierce, posing risks to road users,” Kamath said.
“This is the perfect case for the Lokayukta to investigate. Minister Ashoka gives big speech of introducing KSRTC buses. But when he comes to Mangalore or Dakshina Kannada, he is very quiet about the change,” said PB D’Sa, president, Dakshina Kannada unit of People’s Union for Civil Liberties.
Even the traffic police do not take adequate action against erring bus owners and drivers. RTO does not care about the passengers being pushed around by conductors and their cronies inside the bus. Every private bus carries one or two henchmen of the crew to help ‘shut off vocal passengers against atrocities’.
The KSRTC unions have also raised the flag of dissent against the transport minister for holding back KSRTC to float its own service in Mangalore city, Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts.
Nagaraja, an activist, said that his KSRTC Workers Union, Dakshina Kannada unit suspected that Minister Ashoka and his officials were playing into the hands of the private bus lobby.
Adding to the suspicions, Ashoka, during his visit to Puttur in Dakshina Kannada on Saturday, praised private bus operators for the service they render.
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