KSRTC top brass respond swiftly to complaint by student of irregularities in service on State Bank-Puttur route in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka

The student complained that Puttur-bound buses often skip halts at Adyar and Valachhil. Eventually, students would have to go to Mangaluru to get a bus towards Puttur.

Prompt response by the top brass of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to social media posts by an engineering student on May 7 about the irregular service between State Bank terminal in Mangaluru and Puttur appears to have addressed the issue on May 8, at least for now.

On May 7, a student of an engineering college at Adyar posted on his X handle and Facebook account about passengers’ plight, particularly students, on Puttur-State Bank-Puttur KSRTC route. Many times, these buses do not stop at Adyar and Valachhil, where another engineering college is located, though there were designated stops.

Students were forced to travel for long distances, lamented B. Shreekara. While travelling from Puttur, they had to get down at Padil and travel back to Adyar or Valachhil by buying separate tickets.

Returning home from colleges, they were made to wait endlessly with Puttur-bound buses often skipping halts at Adyar and Valachhil. Eventually, they would have to go to the city to get a bus towards Puttur.

On May 7 afternoon, Shreekara waited for 30 minutes at Adyar, but no Puttur-bound bus stopped for him. He travelled to the State Bank terminal and waited for another 90 minutes. With no Puttur-bound bus at sight, he travelled by the Mangaluru Central-Kabaka Puttur train, a routine that he had been following for the past few days.

The student remarked that irregular services by KSRTC often takes a toll on passengers and students who reach home very late. Their daily routine, including studies, gets affected. While Puttur is the second largest city in Dakshina Kannada district, KSRTC services to the region have been pathetic, he said.

On May 8, KSRTC Managing Director V. Anbu Kumar told The Hindu that he would look into the issue on priority. “New buses would be introduced on this route by June,” he said.