Bed bug nightmare for KSRTC

DHNS

• Corporation has spent lakhs on disinfecting buses, but problem persists

 

Bangalore, 03 February 2011: You book a ticket on an ultra-luxury night bus service of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in the certain thought that the long distance will melt away in comfortable sleep.

 

But on boarding the bus you realise that it’s going to be a nightmare literally throughout the journey, thanks to bed bugs.

 

This experience is not new to many travellers using the KSRTC’s luxury buses, especially Volvo and Rajahamsa, these days. This one blemish could rob the Corporation, which has won many awards for good service, of its reputation.

 

Travellers allege that officials have turned a blind eye to complaints in this regard. On an average five travellers complain of facing problems with bed bugs and cockroaches every day.

 

Passengers usually take the bus driver or the conductor to task. Hence, these complaints hardly come to the notice of top officials. The problem is severe in sleeper coach buses which ply to Malnad and Coastal districts of the State, sources said.

 

Futile bid to curb

 

Though KSRTC Chief Mechanical Engineer S Mallikarjuna claims that the problem is well under control, Transport Minister R Ashoka had himself admitted recently in the Assembly that the bed bug and cockroach menace had become severe in the State-owned buses of late.

 

“I have been receiving a lot of complaints in this regard from people of my constituency (Belthangadi). I was not aware that the problem was so severe. The Minister has confirmed this fact in his reply,” Congress MLA K Vasanth Bangera, who had put the question to the Minister in the House, said.

 

The KSRTC has failed to check the menace despite spending lakhs of rupees on pesticides every year. Till December in this financial year, the Corporation has spent Rs 23.87 lakh against Rs 18.39 lakh the previous year. Mallikarjuna said bed bugs breed more in winter and rainy season.

 

All bus drivers and conductors have been given strict instructions to bring the bed bug problem, if any, to the notice of the higher ups immediately. Steps will be taken to fumigate such buses. Besides, the Corporation fumigates all 365 Volvo and 400 Rajahamsa buses once every three months. Also, washed blankets are given to the passengers.

 

However, changing blankets is a problem during rainy season as it is difficult to dry them, he pointed out.