Poor response for bus service in Udupi

All most all the buses, operated by both KSRTC and private bus owners, ran empty on the first day of the re-introduction of bus services on Wednesday.

The lack of patronage by passengers came as a rude shock to bus operators.

KSRTC operated three buses from Udupi to Kundapur and one each to Hebri, Kaup while private bus owners operated only four buses on routes towards Kundapur, Karkala and Manipal/DC's Office.

KSRTC Mangaluru divisional controller Arun S N told DH that only a few passengers boarded the five buses plying on the routes from Udupi to Kundapur, Kaup and Karkala. "We had to run the buses under utter loss. We will wait for a few more days before introducing additional buses on other routes. But if the losses continue, we may have to stop the buses which are already plying," he added.

District Private Bus Operators' Union president Suresh Shetty Kuyiladi said the response from the public was disappointing. There were just two to three passengers on each trip. There were no passengers even after waiting for half-an-hour to one hour, he said.

The bus owners could not even recover the money spent on diesel. The day's collection was just Rs 50 to 100. The district administration insists on sanitising the bus after every trip, which adds an additional cost of Rs 250 extra for each trip, he said.

He said, "Even if we run the bus with half the capacity with 25 passengers, we will not be able to recover even the minimum expenses. We have requested the government to exempt the tax. In Odisha, the government has permitted bus operators to collect the double fare."

He said that the Punjab government has assured tax exemption for over three months. "In another 10-15 days, the three-month relaxation for the loan repayment ends. We have to pay the loan with interest and arrears," he added.

"It is impossible for bus operators to survive in the present situation and with the rules put forth by the administration without the government support," he stressed.