Mangalore: Women in Ullal demand buses on Talapady-Devipura route
Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (EP)
Mangalore, Aug 10: Women in Ullal protested in front of Devipura Sridurgaparameshwari temple here on Saturday August 10, demanding KSRTC transport buses on Talapady-Devipura route.
Though nearly 30 buses plying between Mangalore and Talapady are permitted to ply to Devipura, none of them actually ply on this route. The distance of 3.5 km has to be covered by the local people by walking or by auto shelling out Rs 70 for 3 km. Nearly 100 people have to face the hardship due to lack of transport facilities, the protestors said.
"Children, the employed and senior citizens are forced to walk till Kinya to board the bus. As the road is full of water during rainy season, people are forced to suspend their work and children are forced to remain at home hindering their studies.
"Though there are houses near Talapady-Devipura road, they are away from the road making the road deserted. So girl students, teenage girls and women walk the distance in fear. Several crimes have occurred on this road," they said.
"There is also an unauthorized liquor shop at Mandikatte on the roadside and commuters and women are put to discomfort due to the presence of drunkards on the road," the protesters alleged, adding that the police are taking no action against it despite being aware.
The auto drivers are charging Rs 70 to cover a distance of three kilometres between Talapady and Devipura. The protesters say that half of their earnings go on transport. They threatened to gherao the RTO office in Mangalore if either private bus or KSRTC do not start their buses on this route.
"If people fall ill or are sick, there are no vehicles to take them to the hospital. Auto rickshaws also hesitate to take them. People's representatives are not paying attention as it is a state border area, said anganwadi worker Sunanda. "If this continues, we have decided not to vote in the elections and to boycott them," she warned.
Also, as transport lorries are illegally transporting wood on Devipura road, other vehicles cannot easily ply on it. As the road is narrow, buses refuse to ply, one of the protestors said.
Padmavathi Thachani, former panchayat member Shyamala K Shetty, Sheela Shetty, Seetha Thachani, Nirmala Shetty Bajangre and Chitra Tachani were present at the protest meeting.