Madikeri: The area scheme which the government plans to implement to protect KSRTC will pose a great danger to all private buses which have been providing efficient service across the district over the years, said District Private Bus Owners’ Association President, Hosur Ramesh Joyappa on Thursday, July 7.
                                                     District Private Bus Owners’ Association’s press meet

Addressing a press meet in the town Joyappa said, “This move from the government will put all the dependents on private bus service in great trouble leading to unemployment in a district like Kodagu which experiences rainfall for four months in a year. If implemented, the private buses will be denied permits and people in hilly, forest and remote areas will be deprived of bus services .The area scheme will block permits to contract carriage and phase operators and KSRTC will operate only in main roads thereby neglecting far flung places of the district. This is being done only to protect the interests of KSRTC and maximize its profits. Only the stretch between Kushalnagar and Sampaje is nationalized where as in all other places, private buses can operate along with KSRTC buses”.

The private bus operators association has expressed its reservation to the scheme notified on June 10, which the government plans to implement throughout the state.

Similar schemes were in force in states like Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and recently in Kerala where finally nationalization of routes was cancelled and private operators were given opportunities to ply. While the Central government has been promoting private participation, private bus operators from our district have been sidelined only to make KSRTC profitable, he alleged.

Bus owners and the staff have been opposing the move which is destructive in nature which ultimately may stop operation of 162 private buses in the district and if people do not revolt against it, they will be deprived of bus services in rural areas, he cautioned.

Association secretary Poonacha along with Madhu, Jagdish and Yogish were present on the occasion.