The Hindu : Three more towns to get timekeeper system

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 06, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Udupi

Three more towns to get timekeeper system

By Our Staff Correspondent

UDUPI, MARCH 5. The Deputy Commissioner (Transport), Hemant Kumar, said on Friday that the system of timekeepers would be extended to Kundapur, Hebri, and Karkala in Udupi district to prevent road accidents.

Participating in a Transport Adalat organised at the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) office here, Mr. Kumar said the system had helped in bringing down the number of accidents on Udupi-Mangalore Road. It had reduced unhealthy competition between private bus operators.

He said the Regional Transport Authority had urged the private bus operators to take steps to prevent accidents and the latter came up with the idea of timekeepers.

The Transport Department would send a proposal to the Union Government to implement the system wherever necessary, he said.

Mr. Kumar said the registration number would be displayed prominently on buses for the benefit of commuters who wanted to file complaints. He directed the officials concerned to implement the order with immediate effect. When a participant pointed out that tickets were not being issued in some city buses in Udupi, Mr. Kumar said instructions would be given to conductors in this regard.

Officials of the authority would seize music systems if they found them in buses, Mr. Kumar said. On the calibration of meters for autorickshaws in Udupi district, Mr. Kumar said there were only a few calibrating agencies though the district had 6,000 such vehicles.

On autorickshaw fare, he said a minimum of Rs. 10 was being charged for the first one and a half kilometre, and Rs. seven for every subsequent kilometre.

He said since there were complaints of autorickshaw drivers charging more, a survey would be conducted and boards displaying the exact fare would be put up at autorickshaw stands. Mr. Kumar said the department had approved the operation of minibuses by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation from Udupi to Mangalore.

Specified CNG, LPG, and LNG fuels could be used in vehicles. Helmets for two-wheeler riders would be made compulsory from April 1, he added.

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