Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Jun 11: “Since June 1, a few National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) buses have been operational in the city. City buses are also reportedly operating under loss. If schools and colleges reopen, all the NURM buses will start their operations as before. There is no private bus lobby in this, but we want to avoid unhealthy competition between government and private buses. Out of 85 city buses, just 24 city buses are running in the city currently. After two months of lockdown due to coronavirus, people are a little hesitant to use public transport. It will take time to revert to a normal lifestyle,” said MLA Raghupati Bhat.

Addressing a press meet held at the BJP office at Kadyali here, he explained that city bus owners had agreed to run buses because of pressure on them by the leaders. "Very few NURM buses are operating in rural areas. When we started free bus service for the last six days during the lockdown period, we spent Rs 5,000 as maintenance expenses for each bus. Our aim is to avoid competition. We discussed the matter with the regional transport office and let them make a decision. The government buses will resume operations once schools and colleges are opened," he stated.

Bhat pointed out that most of the people here are dependent on private buses and not government ones. "A large number of drivers, conductors and cleaners are dependent on operations of their buses to earn their livelihood. Since the last two months, they have not earned anything. Their life is under threat. Some buses had stopped operations long back due to losses. More buses were compelled to stop thereafter. After the losses mounted, the majority of the buses stopped operations. City buses are now running because of our pressure," he said.

Speaking on the state government, he said, “For the first time ever in the history of BJP, a virtual rally will be organised to reach chief ministers B S Yediyurappa’s achievements to people, which will be held on Sunday, June 14. National organizing secretary B L Santhosh will deliver the keynote address. Chief minister Yediyurappa and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will be present.

“A visual jatha will be held. National president J P Nadda will deliver a speech addressing the nation. As many as 5,000 party workers will take part in the virtual jatha from Udupi constituency alone, MLA Bhat said.

Commemorating the achievements of Modi of his first term and first year of the second term, he said that the union government has announced a huge amount of package during the lockdown. “He has created many milestones and taken historical decisions during the first year of his term. He successfully controlled coronavirus infection in the country,” he added.

Mahesh Thakur town BJP president, Veena Naik rural BJP president, Dinakar Babu zilla panchayat president, general secretaries Dinesh Amin, Pradeep Shetty, Ashok Poojary, Vishu Kumar Kallianpur, Manjunath Manipal ward, and Prabhakar Poojary former district president, were present.