652 vehicles for the movement of officials in the district

Mangaluru: The Transport Department has assumed the need for 652 vehicles in DK district for the movement of officials on election duty and also on the voting day.

During the last year’s Legislative Assembly election, a total of 652 vehicles were required for the 8 Assembly constituencies in the district. In this backdrop, a demand was submitted last month to the Joint Transport Commissioner in Shimoga from The Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Office asking that the same number of vehicles be provided to the district. In the backdrop of a notification coming from the office of DK District Election Officer to Mangaluru Transport Department to provide cars and buses, the RTO has held discussions with the various tourist car associations and leaders of the owner’s association coming within the limits of the district.

The Election Commission provides the vehicles for the movement of the revenue, police and security forces on election duty. The RTO official of the concerned city limits is responsible for its provision.

Mangaluru RTO provides vehicles to Mangaluru, Mangaluru North, Mangaluru South, Moodbidri Assembly constituencies, while Bantwal RTO provides vehicles to Bantwal and Belthangady Assembly constituencies and Puttur RTO provides vehicles to Puttur and Sullia Assemblies.

Delay in payments!

The RTO/Police make use of vehicles for various emergency occasions including provision of security for visiting guests, elections, pulse polio and many other reasons.

After completion of the work, the used vehicles are supposed to be returned back along with the necessary dues. But since a few years, the government is delaying the billing and payment of dues for the procured vehicles during the elections and arrival of dignitaries, and hence, the tourist vehicle owners are stepping back from providing the necessary vehicles.

Complete payment

Those who had provided their taxis for the Tippu Jayanti on November 8^th had to wait for several months to get their dues settled. The story is same regarding the clearance of bill payments for the vehicles used on the occasions of visit from Modi and Rahul Gandhi. There s information that during the last Assembly elections, the payments for the vehicles used was provided albeit late, but correctly.

Postal vote for taxi drivers

This time, opportunity has been provided to all DK taxi drivers being used for election duty to cast their votes. For the first time in the district, the taxi drivers have been provided with the opportunity to cast their votes through postal vote. During every election, the drivers are compelled to go to different places due to the election and hence are devoid from their right to cast their votes. Taking this into consideration, the DK administration has provided the taxi drivers with this opportunity. Forms have been distributed to taxi drivers who are on election duty through which the facility of postal voting is provided. They need to fill those forms and submit them, informed DK district administration.

Number of necessary vehicles

Vehicles	Requirement
Maxi cab	134
Jeep	148
Van	28
Bus	319
Mini Bus	23
Total	652

Last election dues paid

“In the backdrop of the elections, vehicles are procured for the use of officials and others and hence, the Maxi cab association has been requested to provide even more vehicles. The pending dues of all the vehicles used during the last Assembly elections has been cleared with the vehicle owners,” said G S Hegde, Assistant Transport Commissioner, Senior Regional Transport Officer, Mangaluru

During election, RTO/Police should not forcefully stop tourist cars/vehicles in the middle of the road and take possession of the vehicles.  Already vehicles are being provided under the leadership of the association. Proper amount of money, along with food-shelter facilities must be provided to drivers leaving on election duty,” urged Dinesh Kumpala, President, DK Taxi Men’s and Maxi Cab Association