JnNURM-funded KSRTC buses set to roll out in Udupi

UDUPI: The only roadblock to the 30 JnNURM-funded KSRTC buses in Udupi city limits has been cleared. At a Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting on December 30, deputy commissioner and RTA chairman R Vishal has given permission to 34 buses, including 30 central government's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) funded KSRTC buses, two private buses and two other KSRTC buses on the Dharmastala-Kundapur route. This brings some relief to people in Udupi who were eagerly waiting for the KSRTC service. However, it's up to the government to bring those 30 buses to Udupi which were to be introduced by March 2014. The deadline was shifted till May and later people's representatives gave yet another promise that the service would start before September-end. Deputy commissioner R Vishal told TOI: ''Arun Kumar Singh, the RTA secretary, who is the RTO of Udupi, will give schedules for the bus operators." Permission has been given for Udupi-Kemmannu-Hoode, Manipal-Udupi-Malpe, Perampalli-Manipal-Alevoor, Pithrodi (Udyavara)-Udupi-Parkala, Sampigenagara (Ambalapadi)-Udupi-Parkala routes. Nithyananda Volakad, general secretary, Udupi Zilla Nagarika Samithi, welcomed the decision. ''I'll congratulate the DC only if buses arrive on the roads and people's representatives should be proactive about this,'' he said. He added that the Samithi would urge KSRTC to introduce its service in rural areas too. -TOI