Gadag-Betageri to get better bus service soon

Source: The Hindu
The Hindu

Bus services in some major cities of north Karnataka will soon get a boost with the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) joining hands with North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) to share the cost of a project to improve the public transport systems of cities.

Initially, city bus services in Gadag-Betageri will be strengthened.

NWKRTC chairman Mallikarjun V. Savakar told The Hindu that DULT had sanctioned Rs. 5 crore for the project.

Of this, it had earmarked Rs. 1 crore for the first phase; Rs. 50 lakh had been released to buy new buses.

“NWKRTC has matched this contribution and added Rs. 50 lakh and five new buses have been procured. These buses are better than the ones already plying in cities such as Hubli and Dharwad,” Mr. Savakar said. “They are semi low-floor buses with LED destination boards.”

A letter from the commissioner of DULT confirmed these figures. Another 40 per cent of the sanctioned amount (Rs. 1 crore) would be released after NWKRTC began new services on three identified routes in Gadag (route numbers 101, 102 and 105). The rest would be released after submission of the evaluation report, the letter added.

According to Mr. Savakar, the formal commissioning of the new buses will be on May 28. “Once we commission the new buses, we will receive funds from DULT and our matching grant will enable five more new buses to be bought,” he said.

Shelters too

As per the project proposal, funds are not just for procurement of buses. “We plan to build bus shelters in Gadag-Betageri with the involvement of the local municipal body. Creating minimum infrastructure and amenities at bus terminals and improvement of footpaths are other works planned under the project,” Mr. Savakar said.

NWKRTC plans to have similar projects to strengthen the city bus services in tier-II and tier-III cities in north Karnataka. “We will have similar projects soon for Bagalkot, Haveri and Sirsi,” the corporation chairman added.

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It is part of a project to improve public transport systems in tier-II and tier-III cities

Initially, five new buses will be commissioned on May 28 in Gadag-Betageri

NWKRTC may shift new Hubli bus-stand

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/article3386374.ece


The plan is to move it from Gokul Road to Hosur

Improvement ahead?:Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar inaugurating the newly formed Dharwad division of the North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation in Dharwad on Friday.

The North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) is planning to shift the new Hubli bus-stand from Gokul Road to Hosur, according to Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar.

Speaking after inaugurating the newly formed NWKRTC Dharwad division here on Friday, Mr. Shettar said if the plan worked out, the new bus-stand would be shifted to the premises of the Hubli depot at Hosur, and the depot to Gokul Road. The Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) proposed for Hubli-Dharwad had necessitated this change, which would be convenient for passengers, he added.

Facelift

The Cabinet had given its approval to BRTS, under which bus-stands and terminals would get a facelift. A team of local legislators and others recently visited Ahmedabad to study BRTS, which had been working there for the last three years.

It could be used as a model for Hubli-Dharwad with certain modifications, the Minister said.

Mr. Shettar said efforts were on to convince the Union government to sanction projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for Hubli-Dharwad. As the population of Hubli-Dharwad had reached 10 lakh, the city was eligible for it, he said.

NWKRTC chairman Mallikarjun Sawkar said the new division would include Dharwad, Saundatti, Dandeli and Haliyal depots. A new bus depot would also be set up near the new central bus-stand in Dharwad, for which the district administration had provided three acres.

He said the NWKRTC had made profits this year. It would get 700 more buses and improve services to rural and urban areas.

The NWKRTC would introduce 20 additional buses between Hubli and Dharwad, and these buses would start from new points in various layouts and interior areas that had no bus connectivity. Plans were on to improve the city bus terminus, old bus-stand and new bus-stand in Hubli and Dharwad, he said.

‘Improve connectivity'

Chandrakant Bellad, Hubli-Dharwad West MLA, urged the authorities to introduce air-conditioned Volvo buses from Dharwad to Bangalore and to Pune. He demanded that mini-bus terminals be set up in the extension areas, with direct buses to different localities.

NWKRTC Managing Director Hemaraju said there was a need for a workshop for the division, and the NWKRTC was ready to set it up if a minimum of five acres was provided within two or three km of the divisional office.

He said Rs. 5 crore would be released to clear the arrears of retired employees this month.

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Cabinet gives nod for Bus Rapid Transport System: Shettar

Centre urged to sanction projects for Hubli-Dharwad under JNNURM

NWKRTC gets approval to take up infrastructure work

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/todays-paper/tp-others/tp-states/article2085719.ece

Hubli, June 7: The North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) has got approval its governing council to take up infrastructure, developmental and several other works, including expanding Bilagi bus depot, constructing new bus stations at Siddapur, Hangal, Kamadolli, Sankeshwar and Mishrikoti, developing the Gokak bus depot, and upgrading bus stations at Munavalli, Amingad, Rona and other places. According to NWKRTC the release, the council also cleared recruitment drive to fill the posts of technical assistant, driver and driver-cum-conductor as per the requirement. — Our Bureau