Mangaluru: Volvo buses plying to Mangalore Airport are in danger of incurring losses again. At present, it costs Rs. 65 per km to operate the Volva bus but currently only Rs. 7 per kilometre between Mangalore Airport and Rs. 13 between Manipal Airport is being collected.
Buses plying from Manipal and Mangalore to the Airport are almost empty. KSRTC started regular transport from Mangaluru City to the Airport in 2014 and Volvo buses two years later.
Twice the bus service was cancelled due to lack of passengers and the same situation is likely to be repeated.
It wad an old demand to start buses from Mangaluru and Manipal to Mangalore International Airport. But the bus system on this route is failing due to various reasons.
The KSRTC personnel’s opined that those travelling by air generally prefer to travel by their own vehicle or taxis, and the situation in Mangaluru is different from that of Bengaluru City.
Due to the shortage of passengers, it is difficult to operate Volvo buses. The demand is that the airport should have a bus plying and not necessarily a Volvo bus. KSRTC can think of plying non-regulated mini buses, so that the demand for a bus connection to airport will be met and the losses can also be reduced.
Today air travel is not restricted to the rich but due to unavoidable reasons, middle class people also travel by air and there is no fear of loss to KSRTC if a regular bus is run, as the normal transport on this route will also be used by passengers travelling to other places on this route.
