JnNURM buses to ply in Kudla from December

MANGALURU: Now it’s official. KSRTC Mangaluru Division has prepared 17 routes for the introduction of buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) scheme.
The proposal of introducing JnNURM buses was pending for more than two years due to several reasons including apathy. After several RTA meetings, discussions, issuance of permits, the KSRTC has prepared a schedule for 17 routes and if everything goes as per plan, non-A/c low-floor buses will commence service in the first week of December.All buses will commence from State Bank bus stand as demanded by the KSRTC and people.
JnNURM buses will ply on Gurupura, Moodushedde, Katipalla, Pilikula, Kana, Shakthinagar, Kunjathbail Thalappady – Bondel, Vamanjoor, Mudipu – Madyar, Mudipu – Deralakatte, Someshwar, Bajal, Faizalnagar – Jalligudde, Ganeshpura and Kinya routes from State Bank bus stand.
KSRTC Mangaluru divisional controller Vivekanand Hegde told TOI that all preparations are in place to introduce JnNURM buses in the city. “KSRTC has completed the process of appointment of drivers and conductors. Training for drivers and conductors is being held at KSRTC’s training institute in Hassan. Similarly, buses will reach Mangaluru depot soon from Bengaluru and Mysuru. All other official procedures are ready and we will be able to commence the service in the first week of December,” Hegde said.
it may be recalled that the Union Ministry of Urban Development had sanctioned 65 buses to Mangalore division of KSRTC under the JNNURM scheme. Out of 65 non-A/c low-floor buses sanctioned under the scheme, 35 are reserved for Dakshina Kannada and remaining for Udupi. KSRTC Mangaluru division had submitted 35 applications for route permits to run city buses under JnNURM scheme in December, 2013 and March 2014. However, KSRTC Mangaluru division's proposals were pending before the RTA due to a district magistrate (DM) notification of 1992 that restricts the issuance of permits for city buses from State Bank bus stand. On August 21, deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim had relaxed the district magistrate (DM) notification of 2013 allowing KSRTC Mangaluru division to run 18 city buses to various destinations from State Bank bus stand under JnNURM. Due to technical reason, the KSRTC could not finalise the route for one permit. In the meantime, the KSRTC division is insisting the RTA to issue remaining 17 permits allowing them to introduce JnNURM buses from State Bank bus stand. However, the RTA is insisting KSRTC to run JnNURM buses on other routes.