Mysore/Mysuru: Alleging that KSRTC authorities were operating more buses in violation of the agreement entered into following the launch of indefinite strike by KSRTC employees on Apr.7, private bus owners and drivers staged a demonstration at Doddakere Maidan on Sunday.

Claiming that they were suffering losses due to the drop in passenger occupancy following increased operation of KSRTC buses, the Private bus owners brought their buses out of the Sub-urban bus stand and parked at Doddakere Maidan, where they staged the demonstration against Transport authorities.

Mysuru District Tourist Bus Owners Association President A.V. Prithviraj said that the transport authorities had breached the agreement that one KSRTC bus should ply after four private buses/public transport vehicles leave from Sub-urban bus stand with passengers.

Maintaining that the operation  of a higher number of KSRTC buses on all routes had resulted in huge losses for private bus owners due to poor passenger patronage, he urged the authorities to stick on to the agreement reached  with private bus owners when the KSRTC strike commenced.

Meanwhile KSRTC Mysuru Rural Divisional Controller K.H. Srinivas told Star of Mysore that yesterday being a Sunday, there was a drop in the number of passengers. Asserting that commuters were preferring KSRTC buses as Private buses would wait till the filling up of all seats, he said that no private bus or other public transport vehicle was asked to move out of the Sub-urban bus stand.

Pointing out that passengers are free to make their own choice of travel (KSRTC or private bus), Srinivas maintained that several private buses continued to pick up passengers from the Sub-urban bus stand till late evening yesterday.