Buses stopping only at new terminal irks passengers

Hubballi: To ease traffic problems at KC Circle here, the transport authorities have directed that buses must stop only at the New Bus terminal on Gokul Road. But, it has not gone down well with commuters.
The commuters who arrive in the city or travel from the city in the night say they are put to great hardship. People who reach Hubballi from Maharashtra, Mangaluru and other areas in the night are struggling to get proper connectivity from the bus terminal to reach their final destinations.
Commuters want the authorities to reconsider their decision and want buses to be allowed to stop at KC Circle in the night. Earlier about 1,800 buses would stop at KC Circle to drop or pick up passengers.
In November last year, the stoppage of 500 to 600 buses heading Belagavi, Goa, Sirsi, Mangaluru, Karwar and Maharashtra was shifted to the new bus terminal. Earlier passengers used to catch long route buses from the old bus stand. Though the new bus stand on Gokul Road was built 15 years ago, it was not functioning completely.
Suleman H, a social activist, said “Many people who reach the city in the night are finding it difficult to reach home from the new bus stand. Late in the night auto drivers demand high fare and there are insufficient security arrangements at the terminal.”
The authorities should start a pre pre-paid auto system, set up a police out post or should allow long-route buses to go up to Old bus stand to drop passengers, he added.
Ramanand Bhat, a resident of Gabbur on the outskirts of Hubballi said, “Recently me and my family reached Hubballi from Sirsi at 3:30am in night. There were hardly any autos and they were demanding Rs 400 to 500 to drop us to Gabbur. As I was with my family, I agreed to pay Rs 350 and reached home.”
H Ramangoudar, DC NWKRTC, Hubballi division said, “We will solve this problem soon by discussing with other officers concerned.”