Dakshina Kannada: KSRTC hopeful of quick clearance of pending route permit applications post relaxation of prohibition

With Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner relaxing prohibition on entry of more buses into the Central Business District insofar as Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses are concerned, the Corporation is hopeful that its pending applications for route permits before the Regional Transport Authority will be cleared fast.

DC H.V. Darshan, as the District Magistrate, issued a notification on January 30, 2026, modifying earlier notifications issued on January 5, 1991, and April 6, 1993, by the then District Magistrates restricting entry of new stage carriage buses into the CBD, that is Hampanakatte and State Bank. He declared that all categories of KSRTC buses would be exempted from the purview of the 1991 and 1993 DM notifications so that the Corporation provides enhanced travelling facility to people, particularly, women and students.

As many as 14 applications for new route permits filed under the Comprehensive Area Scheme of RTCs were pending before the Dakshina Kannada RTA. While seven of them were filed in 2022, another seven were filed in 2025.

The applications seek permits to operate 21 buses with 154 single trips to areas that do not have adequate KSRTC bus connectivity with the central parts of the City, including Mudipu, Moodbidri, Polali, Madaka, Kateel and other places. Mr. Darshan had noted that of the 321 city buses plying in Mangaluru, only 43 were KSRTC buses, accounting to 13% of the total buses. Considering the limited operation, it was difficult for women and students particularly to avail various government benefit schemes.

KSRTC route permit applications pending with Dakshina Kannada RTA

Source: KSRTC

JNNURM buses

Meanwhile, the Corporation would move the High Court of Karnataka seeking vacation of stay granted against introduction of city buses under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) during 2014. Of the 36 routes for which permits were issued, private operators had obtained for 14, citing the 1991 and 1993 DM notification.

With the earlier DM notifications standing modified, KSRTC is hopeful of operating buses on these routes, a senior officer said.

PM eBus Sewa Seheme

The exemption was expected to enable KSRTC Mangaluru Division to deploy electric buses across the city routes. The Central government has sanctioned 100 electric buses to Mangaluru under the PM eBus Sewa Scheme and the buses are expected to arrive in phases starting the second quarter of the year.