Mangaluru : Dakshina Kannada DC K G Jagadeesha instructed the private buses operating on both city and rural routes to ensure low floor in the vehicles.

Presiding over a grievance redressal meeting ahead of Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting at RTO office on Monday here, Deputy Commissioner Dr K G Jagadeesha directed the bus operators to modify the existing floor height, complying with the norms of 32 centimetres height from the ground level, for the benefit of passengers while boarding and alighting the vehicles.

While the buses operating in the city limits were set a deadline of one month till August to fall in the line, the rural buses were given two months time till September.

A bus operator from rural side wanted the DC to relax the norms for rural buses, permitting them to increase the height by two centimetres up to 34, as in the case of otherwise, it will be difficult to run the buses on rural routes riddled with potholes. However, the deputy commissioner replied in negative.

Prior that, the DC sought the opinion of KSRTC officials. They claimed to have been operating the low floor buses even on rural routes without any hiccup.

To ensure accountability, the DC also directed the bus operators to self-certify the modifications and submit the list to RTO or else, serious action will be initiated, besides imposing hefty fine amount, the deputy commissioner warned.

Hyder Parthipady, a prominent bus operator, told the DC that a total of 250 operators run 360 buses in the district.

Earlier, following complaints of the lack of low floor buses, putting senior citizens into hardship, RTO G S Hegde apprised the deputy commissioner about action initiated in the recent by seizing 12 buses.