Bengaluru, May 17: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Laxman Savadi on Sunday wrote to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting to issue new lockdown guidelines including permission to operate public transport and said the lockdown has caused a financial loss of Rs 16,00 crore to all four Karnataka Transport Undertakings.
In view of these problems, the state Transport Minister requested Gadkari to permit the deployment of Non-AC buses on scheduled routes to ensure the adequacy of services.
The four State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in Karnataka which are providing bus-based public transport services within the state and to the neighbouring states are Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).
"KSRTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC operate buses for mofussil services i.e. Interdistrict, intradistrict and interstate, whereas BMTC operates only in urban and suburban areas in the city of Bengaluru. The four STUs put together hold a fleet of about 24,900 buses including 1,520 air-conditioned buses and operate about 71.00 lakh km. per day and carries about 98.00 lakh passengers every single day," Savadi outlined in the letter.
The Minister said due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the lockdown that ensued have brought regular bus operations and functioning to a grinding halt.
"This has caused a devastating impact on the operations of all the four STUs due to the combination of lack of revenue and continuing fixed costs such as salaries and pensions to staff, payables against existing loans etc. It has been estimated that the lockdown has caused a financial loss of INR 1,600/- crore to these four STUs," he added.
Savadi said even after post-COVID lockdown, operations and revenues won't reach its previous demand& supply patterns in the next six to eight months due to reduced economic activity and users' perceived risk of contacting COVID in public transport.
In addition to that, "occupancy should be allowed up to seating capacity (without standees). This is essential to meet minimal demand," he said in the letter.
"The crew should wear facemask and hand gloves. The crew with health issues should not be deployed. The face masks should be made mandatory for all the passengers. Only asymptomatic persons should be allowed to travel in public transport. The Government of India may consider staggering working hours for various sectors to reduce peak hour traffic demand," the minister listed out these recommendations in the letter.
Savadi said that with social distancing norm of reduced seating capacity in public transport, it will not be possible to provide transport facility to all the daily passengers. This will create demand for more buses, which cannot be met.
"Restrictions on public transport will lead to passenger commute by overcrowding in smaller vehicles like cars, maxi cabs, goods tempos etc. which will adversely affect preventive measures," he added.
Therefore, Savadi requested Union Minister to look into the above matter and issue fresh guidelines to all the states / UT's.
Comments
The life of this world compared to the Hereafter is as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean and take it out again, then compare the water that remains on his finger to the water that remains in the ocean. Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, Sahih muslim.
Winning the love of makhlook and getting the hatred of the Khaliq in return is a very bad deal. Insha Allah we will live in this duniya for maximum 100-150 years. The we have to face Allah. What will you reply to Allah? You think doing such things will benefit you, give you izzat. Please understand that benefit, loss, izzat, zillat, disease, shifa all are from Allah alone. Keep Allah happy. These makhlooks cannot do anything for you. If you win the whole world and Allah is angry with you then its very bad. If you win Allah and then even if you get nothing in the world, it is the best deal in the world.
Brother Abu Bakar, we want you and all muslims to go to Jannah and avoid jahannum. Please say the kalima once and read tauba namaaz with a sincere niyat of not doing such kind of deeds again.
May allah give 'hidaya' to these so called 'muslims'
Lack of religion knowledge for this Organization, to bring peace and harmony between different community, to win other communities heart just follow our Prophet's way, even look at other great historian traders like Malik al Dinar / great Muslim Scholor like Kwaja Moinuddin Chisty, how they won other communities heart.
Innala Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilahyi Raajihoon
Well Done Muslim Brothers.. This should be the way to spread message of peace and harmony. Don't follow the people who copycat Arabs thinking they are following true God. Nothing is proven yet. Don't worry keep the good work going.
Inna Lillahi Wainna Ilaihi rajioon. Muslims left the work of dawah to non muslims & indulging in shirk. Whatever Horekanike you have given is totally Haraam and the sad thing is that people who are doing they are expecting good from others but not from Allah. Haji abubakar parkala, Name indicates that he might have done HAJJ. What is the use of Hajj if they do shirk with allah. May allah give us hidayath.
Dear all,
People of this organisation(UDMPSS) neither muslims nor Hindus, they are only pretending, they can't be trusted anywhere!. beware of them.
These foods should distribute to the poor... they will make dua for the committee... THESE FOODS WILL BE THROWN TO THE GARBAGE AFTER 2-3 DAYS..... NOR THEY WILL EAT NOR THEY WILL DISTRIBUTE TO POOR.... USELESS FELLOW
NOW NEXT HINDUS TURN TO SHOW TO PROMOTE HARMONY...
THEY SHOULD DISTRIBUTE COW TO MUSLIMS AT THE TIME OF BAKRI EID.....
This is really a crazy.....not good at all.....common guys there are many poor Muslim children who are suffering from malnutrition....go and distribute this food items to them....instead of this chaddi worthless creature....this is really a tragedy...
The committee should also know that Swamy was all alone went to Ayodhya from Udupi to demolish Babri Masjid. Which was the main reason behind the communal riots and communalism started in throughout India till today.
Now some Swamy's personal benefited chelas are doing in the name of muslims. Shame on you.
We muslims should keep good relations and harmony with other communities by providing food, shelter, cloths , medical aids to the poor daliths, hindus and Christians but not to give the billionaire Swamy who is always against other communities including daliths.
Next time you can do kola and parba too...
Innaa Lillaahi Wa Innaa Ilaihi Raajiwoon
NAUZUBILLAH
Add new comment