Mangaluru: The deputy commissioner (DC) in a review meeting of the tourism development board, reprimanded the Regional Transport Officer Afzal Ahmed Khan for failing to keep bus operation to Panambur beach intact.

The deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim expressed the view that all the buses commuting from Mangalore to Suratkal and Katipalla must touch Panambur beach. The availability of busses to the Beach will encourage visitors to visit the beach more often. The meeting was held on Tuesday here at DC office.

The justification offered by the RTO for ceasing operations however irked A B Ibrahim, while district in charge minister Ramanath Rai tried to pacify the top bureaucrat of the district. The long discussed beach tourism development, according to deputy commissioner had failed to pick up pace. The DC argued scarce bus operation was one of the key reasons for the same.

Though, the RTA had  permitted upto five buses to operate, including one from Karnataka State Road Transportation Corporation, currently all have stopped functioning. One private operator, RTO Afzal said, had surrendered the permit and another operator was yet to collect the permit orders. Others commuting from Mangalore to Suratkal and Katipalla are reluctant to steer the bus via Panambur, he informed in the meeting.

The deputy commissioner hit out at RTO for not coordinating with the district administration. The district administration, it could be recalled, in several meetings instructed the RTA to deploy buses to connect to Panambur. The RTO claimed the road was not conducive, besides trucks that travel to NMPT queue up creating dust. Angered over the explanation, DC chided the RTO, for giving implausible reasons.

At this juncture, district in charge minister Ramanath Rai came to the rescue of the RTO. Rai said all busses may not be able to commute due to some reasons but RTO could select a few operators to ply the buses. The Minister said KSRTC stopped their operations as it faced loss on the route.