Udupi : The regional transport authority (RTA) is amenable to introduction of KSRTC bus service to rural areas of the district that need them, Priyanka Mary Francis, DC and chairperson of authority said. The RTA in reaching this decision has taken note of complaint from private bus operators that KSRTC is operating buses on routes for which it does not have permit and for which timing has not been allocated to them, thus causing operational losses, she said.

Chairing the meeting of RTA on Wednesday, Priyanka responding to a demand by Shivaji Suvarna for KSRTC bus service on Kaup-Moodubelle route said the RTA will examine his proposal in due earnestness. Sanjeev Shetty who backed Shivaji’s demand said the fares charged by KSRTC is on the lower side compared to fares by the private operators and commuters are patronizing the services introduced by the state operator on routes already allotted to them.

Responding to concerns raised by private operators about KSRTC operations in the district, M Sanjeev Patil, superintendent of police directed both operators — private and KSRTC included to display their respective permit numbers, route and timings allotted to them by the authority on the buses within a week. The authority and Udupi district police will act in a concerted manner against buses that operate in violation of the permit conditions, the SP said.

Sudhkar Shetty, a private bus operator complained to the authority that KSRTC is operating bus service on Kundapur-Baindoor route without a permit and also by not sticking to any schedule. Priyanka directed the KSRTC officer Jaishanth Kumar to convene a meeting of both KSRTC and private bus operators who are operating buses on the above mentioned route and sort out the same amicably. Ramakrishna Rai, in-charge regional transport officer was present.

In a related development, the DC in a notification banned stoppage of all private buses, tempos and maxicabs in a 300 metre radius of the newly constructed KSRTC bus station at Kundapur. This follows a plea from the managing director, KSRTC to the RTA in a letter dated November 20, 2015 and in continuation of decision taken at a meeting that Gopal Poojary, chairman, KSRTC and Baindoor MLA chaired at the deputy commissioner’s office on August 7.