A series of functions spread over two days on June 2 and 3 in Mysore district marked the launch of services to place the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Mysore Division, on modern lines under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Rural Mission (JNNURM) funds.
The projects launched by transport minister R Ashok comprised inauguration of the Rs 27.80 lakh new bus stand at Mirle and launching of Rs 2.5 crore modernisation work of the bus stand at K R Nagar and inauguration of bus depots at Nanjangud and Sathagalli in Mysore city. The programme also included pressing into service 111 modern buses costing Rs 38.45 crore under the JNNURM. The fleet comprises 29 Volvos, 41 semi-low-floor and 50 medium low-floor buses to ply on different routes and surrounding tourist places in stages for the benefit of tourists visiting Mysore.
Inaugurating the newly built modern bus stand at Sathagalli extension, the minister said computerisation of all the Regional Transport Offices in the state, to be undertaken shortly, would be completed by October-end. This would help access data easily.
Smart cards will replace Registration Certificate (RC) books in about ten days time. Biometric system to check multiplicity of driving licenses would be introduced gradually. Issue of driving licenses would be made online.
Launching the new buses, he said upgradation of the heritage city’s seven bus stands costing Rs 108.59 crore would be completed by July 2010 under the JNNURM. The Centre had sanctioned in all Rs 280 crore under the JNNURM for modernisation of bus stands and purchase of modern buses for Mysore.
At the two functions at K R Nagar taluk, Ashok said KSRTC was emerging number one State transport system in the country and had earned a record profit this year, while other transport systems of other States were under loss. The profits earned by the KSRTC, to be revealed shortly, would be utilised for upgradation of bus stands in the State.
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The KR Nagar KSRTC unit had earned Rs 16.13 lakh in April and Rs 10.02 lakh in May for the first time. Mysore rural division had earned a profit of Rs 1.72 crore in the two months.
The Minister announced free bus passes for children of first to seventh standards and 25 per cent concession for girl students studying between seventh and 10th standard in the state. On payment of service fee of Rs 60, a student can obtain a free pass for the whole year. All the district headquarters will have upgraded modern bus stands and works were in progress. The KSRTC had recruited 6,058 additional employees of whom 4,035 were drivers and conductors.