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Mangaluru : The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is mulling to revive its bus service to Mangalore International Airport three years after it had discontinued it.
An application in this regard has been sent two months ago to the Regional Transport Office and the KSRTC is yet to receive a communication.

"We want to operate the buses in the morning and afternoon. If permit is issued, then bus services will be started according to the time table set by the RTO," said   KSRTC Division Controller Kempananjappa adding that a decision in this regard is likely to be taken during the RTA meeting which will be convened in January.   

The KSRTC had introduced Volvo bus service from KSRTC bus depot to the Mangalore International Airport and vice versa on July 15, 2011. The bus traversed through Bejai, Derebail, Kavoor, Marakada and the timings from KSRTC to airport  was 7:05 am, 10: 05 am, 1: 05 pm and 4:20 pm and from the airport towards KSRTC at 8 am, 11 am, 2.15 pm and 5.15 pm. Amidst stiff opposition from the Taxi Divers’ Association the KSRTC had started the bus service after Dakshina Kananda District Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of Regional Transport Authority had sanctioned permit for the bus service.

Unfortunately, KSRTC discontinued the service on  September 18, 2011, citing financial losses. Many believed that in addition to the financial loss, taxi drivers lobby had a major role in the discontinuation of the service. 

Lack of public demand and corresponding financial loss led to the suspension of services. While people are keen on introduction of bus service to Bajpe and Kateel routes, there were no much takers for MIA. Further people who were able to spend money on airfare did not think twice on hiring a taxi, pointed out KSRTC Division Controller Kemapananjappa.

Endorsing his views, Shwetha Pai, an employee in an architectural firm in Dubai who frequents Mangaluru says that personally she would not prefer to go in a bus from airport as it is not a convenient idea for her.

"Majority of the fliers are financially well off. While some people had vehicles, rest of them could afford to hire taxis. Taking a bus has its own disadvantage. It will stop at the designated bus stops, which means we have to look for another means of transport with all the heavy luggage to reach home. Who wants to take that extra pain when you have a convenient option of getting dropped right at your doorsteps by hiring a taxi," she questions.

Nagarika Hitharakshana Vedike President Hanumanth Kamath who opined that it was the private bus owners’ lobby that stalled the KSRTC Volvo service and not the taxi associations, said that Private Bus Owners’ Association has been successful in getting what they want as they have the luxury of filing writ petition opposing the introduction of KSRTC buses. On other hand KSRTC is unable to seek the help of law as it has to get permissions from long list of departments and finally the Minister concerned who due to political pressure would disagree for the same.

Further, it is said that the KSRTC drivers and conductors of the buses were assaulted by the city bus drivers/conductors and also taxi drivers. Though this matter was kept under wraps, the KSRTC personnel who feared safety refused to drive on that particular route.

Kamath says that when the permit was issued to the KSRTC, it was extended to the railway station as well, thus making it convenient for the people who arrived to Mangaluru from train to board the bus.

However, since the bus timings were not in tandem with the train arrival timings and delay in arrival of few trains led to inconvenience to passengers and subsequent loss of passengers to the bus service.
As a result the KSRTC chose to start the bus service from KSRTC bus stop.

Kamath is of the opinion that the KSRTC should now work out a feasible schedule for the bus service to make it work.

The bus should be made to take the alternate road from Police Lane then ply on usual places such as Lalbagh, Bejai, KPT, Kavoor, Markada to reach Mangalore International Airport. 
Kamath also points at the partiality shown by the Regional Transport Office and Regional Transport Authority in terms of rules and conditions. He says that when KSRTC applies for a permit the rules are imposed in most rigid forms and when private bus operators apply for permit the conditions are kept minimum.

"The main reason being that Private Bus Operator Association has members from both ruling and opposition party members and both RTO and RTA cannot afford to irk the members of the association," Kamath alleges.

Divisional Traffic Operator Chandrashekar says that the nod for the application may not come soon because of the slow pace at which the RTO operates.

Further, he points that the applications which were filed about two years ago are getting approved now and hence the two month old application of KSRTC may not see the light of the day anytime soon.

"Irregular RTA meetings are leading to pending of applications," he states.

Now that KOSTIC has sent an application for re-launching of services and the RTA Chairman has given a positive response, in all likelihood the buses to MIA will start running again. As of now one can wait and watch if the service begins and KOSTIC sustains the show or the application hogs dust waiting for approval at the RTO.