Due to the poor bus service in the area, people in Yeldoddi Thanda who do not have their own vehicles wait for autos which are not frequent.
People of Yeldoddi Thanda, a village which comes under the Kottadoddi Panchayat in Devadurga taluk, do not have access to public transport services. They have to make do with a minimal bus service—once in the morning and once in the evening.
The nearest bus stop, Mansagal, is about three kilometres away from Yeldoddi. However, only two services are available at Mansagal bus stop – one at 7 a.m. and the return service at 6 p.m., said Venkatesh, a resident of Yeldoddi Thanda.
He said, “People who do not have their own bikes are forced to wait for autos or pickups. But they are not reliable as they are infrequent.” He added that the residents find it difficult to reach places on time.
Bheemanna, a farmer said, “It is difficult for us to bring things from the market. People who do not have bikes have to call autos or walk all the way.”
Renuka, another resident, said that it is inconvenient for the elderly and women with toddlers to travel on bikes. “Since we do not have an alternative option, we are forced to travel on bikes,” she said.
She added that most times the autos and pickups are overloaded, but it is a common sight in the taluk.
Venkatesh added, “The road is also not in a good condition. It is narrow and damaged.” He said that in case of medical emergencies people have to wait for ambulance which would often take an hour to reach.However, officials from the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC)denied the allegation. Rajshekhar, Depot Manager, KKRTC Devadurga Depot, said that the corporation provides frequent bus services in the area.
M. N. Sreehari, a transport and traffic management expert, said that the absence of connectivity in rural areas should be addressed seriously. He added that in several remote villages across the country, lack of access to transport services affects the daily lives of people.
He said that KKRTC should conduct a survey to find the feasibility of introducing a service in the route. He added, “Everything cannot be profit-oriented. If the number of passengers is less, the transport corporation can introduce mini buses for the service.”
