KSRTC city services hit Mangalore streets

Mangalore, August 23: One of the long pending dreams of citizens of Mangalore was finally met on Thursday with Karnataka State Road Corporation formally launching seven city services.

While three schedules will be from KSRTC central bus station at Bejai to Mudipu, two are from Mangalore central railway station to Mangalore airport, Kenjar, and two others from KSRTC central bus station to Surathkal railway station. The first schedule entails 18 round trips to Mudipu, second schedule 6 round trips to airport and third schedule 7 round trips to Surathkal railway station. There will be 2 round trips to Jokatte in this schedule as well.

The pricing is competitive in that the 23-km trip to Mudipu will cost Rs 16. This is the same fare for a 20-km ride to Mangalore Airport or a 22-km ride to Surathkal railway station. The low floor buses with hydraulic doors that the drivers can control are capable of seating 41 passengers with provision for 20 passengers to commute standing. Incidentally, the price is a trial offer for the first week of operations and will be made more competitive.

With inkling that RTA would issue it limited permits to start city services, divisional authorities had sourced these seven low floor buses manufactured at the regional workshop at Kengeri. Costing Rs 26 lakh, these buses come with a destination indicator LED board. "We have kept our fares almost Rs 1-2 less than the private operators per stage and the minimum fare is Rs 4 as against Rs 5 charged by competitors," M Mahesh, KSRTC DC said.

Aimed at taking competition from local private bus operators head on, KSRTC has taken care to employ local drivers and conductors, who know the local culture and ethos, said M Sairam, KSRTC divisional controller. Hopeful that the deputy commissioner, who is the chairman of RTA would permit KSRTC to start scheduled from SBI terminus to destinations, Sairam said it is for the DC to take a call of relaxing a DM notification to facilitate this.