[ಕನ್ನಡ ಅನುವಾದ ಶೀಘ್ರದಲ್ಲೇ ಬರಲಿದೆ — Kannada translation coming soon]
MGP’s monthly meeting to discuss consumer’s woes with KSRTC on May 13 was unique in comparison to such meetings in the past. Divisional Controller, K. H. Srinivas came fully prepared with his associates (Divisional Transport Officer, Marigowda, and Traffic Assistant, Murthy) to take action on spot for problems where he has the authority. Three types of problems came up during the interactions – policy problems to be taken up at higher level, general problems requiring medium to long term solution and specific problems which can be solved in short term. While KSRTC has efficient web based reservation system, it accepts credit and debit cards of only one private sector bank. DC could not explain why KSRTC has adapted such an unfriendly policy and readily agreed to take up with the top management. In comparison Railways accept bank cards from several banks. KSRTC DC was questioned on its policy of collecting unjustified cancellation fee. When customers were forced to change reservation because of the cancellation of the bus timings, natural justice demands that no cancellation fees be collected. That is not the case with KSRTC. DC tried to argue that customers can claim cancellation fees after filling forms. However such an unfriendly policy was criticized by the attendees and DC has agreed to take it ip with his management. Many suggestions were made with respect to specific routes. In each case, DC asked the Traffic Controller to take a look into all of them and wherever possible to comply with the requests. DC discussed the introduction of several bus routes from railway station to several areas of the city without having to buy tickets twice or changing the buses. Suggestion was made to give information to the public on such routes. There were many complains about the conductors and drivers being rude, buses not stopping at designated stops, Intelligence Transportation System (ITS) not showing correct timings, web site not providing information on time tables, buses starting even before passengers getting into the buses, conductors not asking seats to be vacated to give place for senior citizens and ladies, problems with changes, poor maintenance of buses, bus stops not having proper designations to help passengers to get down, etc. DC has promised to look into all these issues and agreed to invite MGP members to interact with conductors and drivers when training sessions are organized for them to overcome some of these problems.
It was shocking to hear that KSRTC is losing Rs 5 crores a month because of the poor use of city buses by the public. While KSRTC as a company is able to earn profit, city bus operation has huge loss. One of the reasons given was the illegal competition by private vehicles which is on the rise. Another reason was less use of the bus service by the public. Some pointed out that there may be scope for improving the all around operations and making it more efficient to reduce cost. According to DC, it is mostly the older generation which uses city buses and youths prefer two wheelers. While the number of two wheelers is increasing in the city every year, use of city buses is going down. According to the DC, there is a need to subsidize city bus operations of KSRTC by the government as they do all over the world. All were happy to know that there has been no fatal accident involving KSRTC city buses during the last year. Yesterday’s meeting which was organised to interact with KSRTC officials with Mr. K.H.Srinivas, the new DC in the lead, was a good idea, thanks to Prof. Shobhana’s initiative and in fact was expected to be in the nature of a more demonstrative interaction with the DC presenting the working of the city services with the help of its ITS in real time working mode etc. It turned out to be an usual one with no such demonstration but only oral defense of ITS is to be regretted. Among the main out comes of the meeting is the stark reality that the city services suffer a loss of 5 crores every month and it is shocking. (It is said to operate 430 Routes and a fleet of 450 buses.) It means a loss of 60 crores a year and who foots this loss? Why such a loss? There may be several reasons for it, one among them being the ill planned route system, operational loss, lack of information and publicity to get more people to use the bus service instead of private vehicles,Auto rickshaw lobby, poorly maintained buses, revenue loss by leakage, etc. Is the division interested in conducting an independent study by engaging a professional team and find ways to improve. Otherwise, the
division may become unviable in near future ready to be privatised. Also under this loss situation the citizens are denied good transport system for a long time to come with ready answers of loss making for any demand of new routes and better services. The second outcome was the insistence by the DC that the time table is available on website mitra.ksrtc.in and is working well, despite bringing to his notice the specific instances to the contrary. Even today, just a day after the meeting, I have checked the time table and it is in the same condition of wrong info and no update. For example: R.No 72. It says no recrd found when in fact this route is in operation everyday and is in high demand as it runs between Sriramapura to Metgalli via university campus, Kamakshi Hospital etc. Incidentally this service is not operating on Sundays for reasons not known. It is single bus service and frequency is one and a half hour. There is no warning about its non operation on Sundays in the website. R.No 122: No records found, says the website. But it is running to the best of my knowledge. It does not stop at the scheduled place near Loyal World, V V Mohalla but at a distant place where there is no shelter nor a stop board and it is on a narrow road. How do we make out where it stops? There is no info on the website. R.No.135.(CBS to CBS) The website says that the first service is from CBS at 5.45 am, whereas the bus is regularly coming to H-block Rama krishna nagara, 10 kms away from CBS at 5.30 to 5.45 am. How come? R.No 135 N.(CBS to KVN) The website gives a single trip for the whole day at 21.10 from CBS and there is no such number board on the bus. Why only one trip and a different number?
R.No 135NN(VVK to CBS). The website mentions only 3 trips perday and this route is not very different from 135, and no such number board. It is unidirectional and I wonder under what r.no. does it come back to its starting point after a trip. The ITS departure info board at the main stations such as Kuvempunagar terminus does not function, it is blank, for the last several years. Moreover no bus driver gives any respect for its times. It is up to his fancy. In short, it suffices to say that the city services are not properly monitored and are left in the hands of the staff who operate the system according to their comfort and convenience, as if they own them. Besides the above mentioned few instances an elaborate report has been given to the DCs, including the present one and only one organisation like MGP can not be expected to provide the full list of specific cases in all the 450 routes. Lastly the website does not have a separate complaints port with due acknowledgement of every complaint and reply to the customer. The complaints and suggestions are hidden under “Contact us” port and even there no acknowledgement part in it.This makes it frustrating for anyone from complaining. There is no public interaction on a regular basis like in case of railways, Police, etc and no results of statistics regarding, passengers handled, complaints received, new routes introduced, fatal and non-fatal accidents,training programmes held, no of staff found guilty and action taken etc If a service organisation running on taxpayers money is so poorly operated who has to take the responsibility?