Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has said that those Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses that have covered more than nine lakh kilometres will be off the roads by March this year. KSRTC will add 5,500 more buses to its fleet by May, he said after inaugurating a KSRTC depot at Belur on Monday.
KSRTC has built the depot on a piece of land spreading over three acres and 19 guntas at Shantinagar in Belur. The depot has a capacity to handle 100 buses. The facility also has a diesel bunk, rest rooms, administrative block, and an accounts section. The corporation spent ₹3.10 crore for the depot.
Mr. Reddy said KSRTC would take all necessary measures to improve its services. “With the new depot coming up in Belur, the local people will be benefited. Bus service to Bengaluru, Dharmasthala, Hubballi, Coimbatore, besides the rural areas of the Hassan and Chikkamagaluru districts would be enhanced,” he said.
Further, the Minister said the department would take action against those shops in KSRTC bus stands that charge more than the maximum retail price for the products they sell. The parking charges should not be more than the fixed price. “We will take strict action against those charging more than the fixed price,” he said.
M.A. Gopalaswamy, MLC, Y.N. Rudresh Gowda, MLA, and others were present.