In view of the indefinite State-wide strike called by KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation from May 20, Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru G. Lakshmikanth Reddy chaired a meeting of officials here on Monday to take necessary steps for alternative transport arrangements to ensure that the public is not inconvenienced.

During the meeting, which was also attended by representatives of private buses and other transport vehicle owners’ associations, Mr. Reddy pointed out that 534 buses operate about 517 schedules in the KSRTC’s Mysuru Urban Division, while 720 buses operate about 691 schedules in Mysuru Rural Division.

If the KSRTC employees do not operate buses from May 20, route maps should be prepared, he said.

Officials of the KSRTC, Transport Department and the Police Department should work together and ensure that public transport services are not disrupted.

He said details of private buses, minibuses and maxi cabs in the district should be obtained and a list prepared along with trip details, so that arrangements can be made without causing inconvenience to the public.

He said information on the trips of private buses, maxi cabs and mini buses should be collected and submitted to senior officials at the control rooms in the KSRTC Suburban and City Bus stands.

During the previous strike by the KSRTC employees, the situation was managed without causing hardship to the public. A similar plan should be drawn up this time as well, he said.

Mr. Reddy instructed private buses and mini buses not to take advantage of the strike by collecting excess fares from the public, and to collect only the fares already fixed.

He directed the officials to deploy necessary police force and make security arrangements at the Suburban Bus Stand, City Bus Stand, taluk-level and other bus stands. He warned that strict action would be taken if anyone created a situation leading to stone-pelting or any untoward incident during the strike.

Superintendent of Mysuru Mallikarjun Baladandi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Sundar Raj, Regional Transport Officers Chouhan and Madhuri, KSRTC Divisional Controllers viz. Veeresh of the Urban division and Srinivas of the Rural division, and members of private vehicle associations were present at the meeting.