The number of buses operated by KSRTC has been increasing daily. Up to 5 p.m. on Saturday, 320 buses were operated in Hassan division. This division has been able to operate buses covering almost all inter-district routes.
Rajesh Shetty, Divisional Controller, told The Hindu that more than 1,000 drivers and conductors have returned to work in the division. “We have been able to restore 80% of the total routes.”
The continuous efforts to convince the employees to return to work yielded results. The private bus operators, who did make money initially, are facing the heat as KSRTC resumed its operations on key routes. Many private bus operators had heated arguments with KSRTC staff members on running buses to Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Private transport operators alleged that even as they were trying to fill up all the seats, KSRTC buses arrive at the bus stand and all the passengers get down from private buses and get into KSRTC buses. “The government has asked us to operate our buses as the employees are on strike. Now KSRTC is also running buses, causing us loss”, said a private bus operator.
The private bus operators charge higher than the KSRTC fare. “We cannot run our vehicle at KSRTC rate. I have a mini-bus and I can save some earning after the fuel expense, only if I charge ₹500 per passenger to Bengaluru” said a private operator.
