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The low-floor government city buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) scheme, launched here on Wednesday, will operate from Thursday breaking the monopoly of private city buses and fulfilling a long pending demand in the temple-city.

Initially only five buses will operate from Thursday and gradually the number of buses operating will be increased to 12 in a week. The routes on which the five buses will operate are: Manipal-Udupi-Malpe-Thottam-Hoode (2 buses); Udupi-Nittur-Santhekatte-Kodavoor-Malpe (1 bus); and Parkala-Udupi-Udyavara-Pithrody-Kamanu (1 bus).

Hampankatte Friends Welcoming Udupi-Kemmannu-Hoode First Trip by cutting the ribbon and bursting the crackers at Hampankatte, Kemmannu.

Gradually within the week, the low-floor buses will start operating on other routes such as: Rajatadri-Manipal-Udupi-Mission Compound-Karangalapady-Alevoor (3 buses); Kallianpur-Santhekatte-Udupi-Doddanagudde-Chakratirtha-MGM-Udupi-Rajatadri (2 buses); Kalarkalabettu-Moodabettu-Udupi-Manipal-Herga (1 bus); Udupi-Nittur-Santhekatte-Kemmannu-Hoode (1 bus); Udupi-Nittur-Santhe Katte-Kalarkalabettu-Kodavoor-Malpe (1 bus); Ananthanagar-Manipal-MGM-Indira Nagar-Kukkikatte-Udupi-Malpe-Malpe Beach (1 bus).

Though 30 low-floor government city buses were sanctioned for Udupi, it had received 28 buses. Of these 28 buses, 12 will be operating in the first phase. The routes and timings of the remaining 16 buses are yet to be finalized by the Regional Transport Office.

The minimum fare for the bus would be Rs. 5 per adult and the maximum will be Rs. 13 per adult. The buses will be operating from 6 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. daily. Presently, the buses will halt in the area behind the Old DDPI Office in CMC Car Parking Lot next to the City Bus Down Road. Vivekananda Hedge, Divisional Traffic Controller, said that each bus was expected to about 10 trips daily.

These low floor buses will be easier for senior citizens, women and children to climb. They are equipped with CCTV cameras, panic buttons, voice announcement system with LED display, stop buzzer, electro pneumatic doors, ramps for persons with disabilities and Intelligent Transport System.

At nights, these buses will presently be parked at the KSRTC Bus Depot at Nittur. They will start parking in the three acre JNURM Bus Depot, expected to be ready within a month.

Presently, additional KSRTC bus drivers and conductors will be manning the government city bus service. The training of 98 bus drivers and conductors is on at KSRTC Training Institute in Hassan and they are expected to be deputed shortly.

Students, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and daily passengers could avail of bus pass facility which will provide them concession on the existing fares. The bus pass facility is expected to be introduced within a week. Persons with visual disabilities, freedom fighters and their spouses/widows, recipients of national awards, patients affected by endosulfan, will be able to travel free of cost on these buses.