Hubballi: The North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) operates Volvo and luxury buses to Vijayapura, Hyderabad, Kalaburagi and other destinations from Hubballi. While these buses pick up passengers from Hosur bus stand during the day, they do not return to the same point on the inbound journey, instead dropping passengers at Hosur Cross. This leaves commuters who have parked their vehicles at the bus stand with the choice of either walking nearly a kilometre or hiring an autorickshaw.Officials argue that managing services through the city’s three bus stands is operationally challenging. However, passengers question why buses cannot drop them at Hosur Bus Stand when they are picked up from the same location. Similar complaints have been raised about long-route express buses operating towards and from Gadag and Navalgund.
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Nivedita Rajput, a resident of Akshay Colony, told TOI that she recently experienced the inconvenience while travelling to Vijayapura. “We boarded an Airavat Gold Class (Volvo) bus from Hosur bus stand and parked our car there. On our return, we were dropped at Hosur Cross, which is around a kilometre away from Hosur bus stand, around 11.30pm. When questioned, the crew responded rudely and asked us to complain wherever we wanted. Travelling with women and children in the rain, we were forced to pay Rs 150 for an auto after drivers demanded Rs 200 for a distance of less than a kilometre. They picked us up from Hosur bus stand but dumped us elsewhere after collecting the fare,” she said.Social activist Lingaraj Dharwad Shettar said a Road Transport Authority meeting chaired by the Dharwad deputy commissioner had decided that buses travelling to and from Gadag and Navalgund should pick up and drop passengers at Hosur bus stand. “Yet, NWKRTC’s own Hubballi-Hyderabad non-AC sleeper services departing at 7.34pm and 8.04pm do not come to Hosur bus stand. This also results in the corporation losing potential unreserved passengers bound for Gadag, Koppal and other destinations,” he said.Frequent traveller Mayur Patil pointed out that while passengers booking Hubballi-Vijayapura Volvo services can choose New bus stand or Hosur bus stand as boarding points, Vijayapura-Hubballi services list only New bus stand as the drop-off point. “NWKRTC wants passengers from Hosur for revenue collection, but drops them based on crew convenience. When questioned, the crew said they wanted to get home early. This ignores the safety of women, children and senior citizens. Reaching Hosur bus stand from Hosur Cross at night is itself a challenge,” he said.When contacted, NWKRTC managing director Priyanga M said she would look into the matter and respond. Chief traffic manager Vivekanand Vishwadnya was unavailable for comment.