No Ola, Uber service in Mangaluru, Udupi: Minister DC Thammanna
Belagavi, Dec 18: Transport Minister DC Thammanna said that the court has given stay order for the Ola and Uber companies to start taxi service in Mangaluru and Udupi.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Assembly, BJP member Raghupathi Bhat said that Ola and Uber companies have got permission by depositing Rs 50,000 on June 20, 2016 to start their services in Bengaluru. They have to get permission from local authorities to start their services in any cities. But in Mangaluru and Udupi cities, the companies have decided to begin their services without getting permission, he said.
Responding to it, the Minister said that the permission taken for Bengaluru was being extended to other cities. But in Mangaluru and Udupi, local taxi drivers have been protesting against Ola and Uber service. Even the court has also given stay order to start the service. Till the dispute is solved in the court, the government would not allow the companies to start their services in Mangaluru and Udupi, the Minister promised.
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Have sanctioned 1,000 buses for next fiscal, says K'taka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday said the government has sanctioned procurement of 1,000 government buses in the next year’s budget.
According to him, in the current fiscal, 2,000 buses were sanctioned and many of them have already arrived.
Speaking in the Legislative Council, he alleged that the previous BJP government neither bought a single bus nor recruitment was done in the state transport department.
He was replying to BJP MLC Y M Satish’s request for buses for Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.
“From 2019 to 2023, not a single bus was purchased in the four corporations. Not even one bus. If buses are not purchased continuously for four years, what will happen to the organisation?” Reddy asked.
He recalled that the last time buses were procured and recruitments took place were in 2016, when he was the transport minister during the previous Congress government from 2013 to 2018.
“After we came to power (from 2013), we procured 6,080 new buses. Then last year, 2,000 buses were provided, and many of them have already arrived. This year too, 1,000 buses have been sanctioned in the budget,” Reddy told the House.
He noted that 9,000 people were recruited and 1,300 people were appointed on compassionate grounds during the Congress tenure.
The Minister added that around 2,000 to 2,500 buses have been refurbished.
“In total, 6,080 buses came in two years. Last year’s 2,000 buses, and now 1,000 more. Altogether, we have about 26,000 buses. Out of these, nearly one-third have been added in the last two-and-a-half years,” Reddy said.
Satish told the Minister that at least 100 red buses and about 20 Volvo buses are required for Ballari and Vijayanagara districts.
In response, Reddy said in 2022-23, 720 buses were given, and in 2024–25, 307 buses; in 2026, 140 buses—totalling 1,173 new buses were given to Kalyana Karnataka region.
There are around 4,000-odd buses in Kalyana Karnataka region, he said adding that another 400 buses have been tendered and funds have to be released.
“Additionally, 56 high-end buses—sleeper AC, non-sleeper AC, and Volvo buses—are also coming. Now, 400 buses are coming. Priority will be given to Ballari and Vijayanagara districts,” Reddy said.
