Fares of KSRTC Volvo services between Mangaluru-Bhatkal hiked
Mangaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Service (KSRTC) has hiked the price of tickets for its Volvo shuttle services between Mangaluru – Bhatkal to compensate with the toll gates fares after the Shiroor toll gate began operating.
The fares have been hiked to Rs. 261 from Rs. 250 for a journey between Mangaluru to Bhatkal and vice-versa.
Speaking to Vartha Bharati, a KSRTC official from Mangaluru division confirmed the news and added that the government had hiked the fares to compensate the toll charges of new toll gate that has started operating in Shiroor.
Regular commuters of the bus services have expressed their dissent over the move and has called on authorities to withdraw the hike in fares.
The state government had deployed the Airavat Volvo Buses for the services in March 2017 with the fares for complete journey costing Rs. 225. However taking into consideration the good response to the services and addition of more buses to the fleet, the prices were slashed to Rs. 200 in only a couple of weeks.
The fares were then once again hiked to Rs. 250 in 2018 before hiking it to Rs. 261 earlier last week. The Shiroor toll gate also started operating last week.
The earlier price hike to Rs. 250 had also received criticism by the commuters and several organisations had submitted memorandum to the state government and the KSRTC demanding withdrawal of the hike but both the government and the KSRTC had sustained with the increased fares.
On the other hand, the private bus services, plying on the same route have not made any changes to the pricing of the tickets. The journey between Bhatkal to Mangalore and vice-versa costs Rs. 140 on the private buses. But people prefering comfort and flexibility of timings opts for Volvo services of the KSRTC.
A WhatsApp message however, being circulated on social media platforms has been urging people to stage protest against the hike in fares by not opting for these government run volvo services and to opt for private buses until the hike is withdrawn.
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Nightclub fire: Goa court remands Luthra brothers in police custody for five days
Panaji (PTI): A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, in police custody for five days.
The brothers, brought to Goa from Delhi after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 blaze that killed 25, were produced in the court after undergoing health check-ups twice at the District Hospital in North Goa.
Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa Puja Sardesai remanded the two brothers in police custody for five days.
Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing Bhavana Joshi who lost four family members in the tragedy, said that the accused were asking for “special consideration” claiming poor health.
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“We said they should not be given any extra relaxation,” he said, adding that the court has taken cognisance of the fact that this is about the death of “25 people in the form of mass genocide”.
“But since they kept pressing for medical check-up, the court ordered reexamination of their health. It is clear in the medical examination that they don’t require any consideration. The accused sought special considerations in the lock-up like a good mattress, which the court refused,” said Joshi.
A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.
The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were then taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.
After their health assessment, the two were brought to the court.
The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.
Later, they were produced before Judge Sardesai, who ordered the five-day police custody of the accused.
After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The brothers were arrested in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.
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The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.
