Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (RD/CN)
Mangalore, Dec 7: The proposal to run KSRTC buses on city routes, has been given the green signal by the Regional Transport Office (RTO). KSRTC city services are likely to commence in March 2009. The RTO has issued permits for 37 buses in the city, and the KSRTC has decided to seek permits to operate 100 city buses in the near future, sources informed.
Initially, the KSRTC buses will ply on the Talapady-Suratkal, and Mangaladevi-Kunjatbail routes, passing through Jyoti circle and Lalbaug. Of the 37 permits issued, 24 are on the Talapady–Suratkal route and 13 on Mangaladevi–Kunjatbail route. The KSRTC buses will ply at frequencies of 10 minutes on the first route, and with 20-minute intervals on the second, informed G T Prabhakar, divisional regional transport officer.
Besides existing routes, KSRTC bus services will be introduced on the Kankanady–Kavoor and Kankanady–Moodushedde routes shortly, said sources. KSRTC has plans to set up a separate depot for its fleet of city buses once they begin services.
The new depot is proposed to be set up adjacent to the existing bus depot catering to long distance buses located on National Highway 17 (NH 17) between KPT and Kuntikan junction. The tender process is underway to construct the city bus depot at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore. KSRTC’s city bus terminus is a few kilometres away from the depot. KSRTC plans to make alternate parking arrangements for its city fleet till the depot is readied.