Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Nov 11: To ensure the safety of passengers, Udupi deputy commissioner Swaroopa T K has directed that both private and government buses must mandatorily install doors.

She issued this directive during the District Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting held at the court hall of the DC’s office on Monday.

Expressing concern that several private buses continue to operate even after the expiry of their fitness certificates and without adhering to safety norms, the DC instructed officials to take appropriate action against such violations.

She further emphasized that buses are meant to serve the public and should not engage in unhealthy competition merely to earn profits. In case of any disagreement between government and private buses over routes, it should be resolved internally. “Filing court cases leads to delays and deprives the public of necessary services,” she added.

Superintendent of police Hariram Shankar stated that, based on complaints received from the public, inspections have been carried out and a total of 14,562 cases have been registered in the past three years. Following the recent incident where a student lost their life after falling from a bus, the police have inspected all buses, stopped those found overloaded, and imposed fines.

He further warned that if private buses obstruct government buses or cause inconvenience to passengers for profit motives, the police will take strict legal action. “Our aim is to ensure that buses provide efficient and quality service to the public,” he said.

During the meeting, students from Maravanthe to Padukone pointed out that due to the absence of bus service, they are forced to walk nearly two kilometres daily. The DC assured that bus services will commence on this route shortly.

The DC instructed KSRTC, private operators, and the RTO to jointly conduct a route survey to identify areas where additional bus services are required. Public representatives also urged that adequate bus connectivity be provided to rural areas.

The SP advised the public to submit written complaints to the regional transport office if any route lacks bus services despite having a valid permit or if buses fail to follow safety and operational regulations.