‘People are already suffering due to Covid, we don’t want to increase their burden’
BIJAPUR; 27 Feb: The announcement which is expected to give a major relief to the people of the State, Transport Minister, Lakshman Savadi has said that there is no proposal before the government to hike the bus fare in the State.
Addressing media persons after laying the foundation stone for the new administrative building of Regional Transport Office on Saturday, he said that last year, the government had already hiked the bus fare.
“ The government is aware of the plight of people who are already suffering huge financial problems due to Covid pandemic. In order to provide them relief, the government has decided not to increase the bus fare”, he asserted.
With regard to the demand of students to extend the date of issuing bus pass, the Minister also announced relief for that that the bus pass date would be extended in March end.
He said that owing to some technical glitch in the software designed for applying the bus pass online, the decision has been taken to extend the date where students can apply in the format they did in the past.
Later, addressing the gathering, the Minister said that with an objective of saving diesel cost and making the transport system more environment friendly, the department, on a pilot basis, has decided to introduce some 300 electric buses in Bengaluru.
“ The tender process will end in March and services will commence. We wish to extend the facility to other parts of the State in coming days”, Savadi said.
Mentioning about the cargo and parcel service being introduced KSRTC, he said that in the first phase, 109 destinations have been identified for the service.
In coming days, the services will be extended to every taluk and hobli of the State to ensure that people make use of it.
“ We are expecting to earn around Rs. 200 crore in a year from the service”, he said.
On the demand to set up Assistant Regional Transport Offices in Mubbedhial and Sindgi taluks, the Minister said that soon the decision would be taken to set up offices to help the people.
Admitting that the transport department has incurred a loss of Rs. 4,000 crore due to Covid, he said that efforts are being made to recover the loss.
He claimed that despite facing acute financial crunch, the government has ensured to disburse the salaries of transport staff by offering Rs. 1800 crore to KSRTC.
Refuting the rumors that he is a probable candidate for the Sindgi by-election for assembly, he said that he is not at all in the race.
MLAs, A. S. Patil Nadahalli and Devanand Chavan, leaders, Vijugouda Patil, Former MLA Appu Pattanshetty, ZP President, Sujata Kallimani and others were present.
