Google Internet Bus Belgaum photos

Have a look at the Google Internet Bus at Belgaum.

Courtesy: http://picasaweb.google.com/internetbusindia/Belgaum#

The Traffic Cops took out time to understand the Internet, May be now they even have a facebook profile

People were very curious to know what the bus was about

People stood in line to get into the bus

The inside view full of people

Google guys explainingStudents in large numbers thronged the bus

Google Bus getting ready

People from all age groups waiting to get inside

The COP is paying complete attention, did anyone find him on orkut or Facebook

Private bus operators doing the LOOT: Bus Fares hiked for holidays

All those who planned a visit home, while going back you will need to shell more money for your bus fare as most of private bus operators like Pai, VRL have made a hike in the fares for Monday 23-02-2009.

The price hike is above Rs.50 per ticket.
Take this for example:
Pai Travels: Belgaum to Bangalore
Normal Bus: Regular rate is Rs.370 special holiday price is Rs.430. Volvo: Regular rate Rs.500 special holiday price Rs.550. Interestingly fares to Mumbai have not been hiked which are very high as normal fare for Volvo is Rs.700 & regular bus is 480.
Which eventually means an Rs.60 increase on the normal bus fare and Rs.50 hike in the Volvo bus fare?

Same is the case with VRL travels: Belgaum to Bangalore

Regular Sleeper - Rs340/- Lower Berth - Rs430/- Upper Berth - Rs380/-
Holiday Price - Semi Sleeper - Rs390/- Lower Berth - Rs480/- Upper Berth - Rs430/-

Regular - New A/c sleeper Lower Berth - Rs510/- Upper Berth - Rs470/-Holiday Price - Lower Berth - Rs560/- Upper Berth - Rs520/-

Volvo: Regular Fare 510
Holiday Fare – 560

PVG is not charging any holiday surcharge nor is the KSRTC or Mahesh as of now.

VRL is used to doing this from long; even I have traveled once by paying Rs.600 for sleeper. And VRL plays another game by leaving Special bus so there is no comparison you can ever make to the fare.

This entire price is hike is for one day Monday, which happens to be Mahashivratri a holiday and people will have to take a ticket back to work on Monday. Getting a Railway ticket which is very cheap, it only costs Rs.256 for regular sleeper, but getting the ticket is a night mare.

We should oppose this unruly price hike made by these bus operators who are nothing but LOOTING the common man.

When there are holidays in line like Saturday Sunday Monday; be sure the price has been hiked.

We should all do something against this, it’s our necessity and these bus operators are exploiting the same.

My question when the fuel prices have been brought down why this price hikes that too for one day. When the fuel prices are hiked, immediately the fares are increased but that’s not the case when prices are reduced. Why is this?

If any of the private bus operators are reading this story I request you comment on this and explain to the public and ratify your price hike.
Jago Grahak Jago !

Belgaum is peaceful: but not Belgaum issue

From the 16th January the Belgaum issue has taken a rebirth, till then it would just erupt on a couple of days in a year and all would be good and calm later on.But this time, as I had mentioned in my previous posts this time it won’t be, the same is happening & I am not all happy with it, in fact no Belgaumite can be, be he Kannada or Marathi he will never have thought of this.
A KSRTC bus was yesterday burnt down in Maharashtra today 2 trucks with goods were burnt down in Tumkur as they had MH (Maharashtra) registration numbers.
In Bangalore, some Kannada activists burnt effigies of MES and Maharashtra politicians. In Kolhapur there were protests by cancelling the Corporation meeting.
Who is suffering, the locals. All buses are plying only in state, i.e Maharsahtra busses are going up to Maharashtra border only and Karnataka busses are only going up to Nippani. All busses to Konkan have been cancelled as a precaution. The private bus operators might also follow this, which will cause huge inconvenience to the public at large.
All border lying areas like Bijapur, Solapur, belgaum, Kolhapur have been badly affected. A report stated that many are stuck up in Pandharpur after the buses were cancelled the same situation is everywhere in the border prone areas.
Thankfully, nothing is happening in Belgaum other than the heated debate in the assembly and a host of press conferences.
I urge and appeal to all, keep your calm; an issue of 52 years can’t be settled in a day and at least not by burning down. I would request all to maintain peace and harmony in the city and don’t believe on rumors as they spread like fire they can cause a lot of trouble.
In all it’s a tough time for all of us. As the busses are not going into Maharsahtra and their busses not coming in Karnataka, many would now take cars for travelling, but that too could be dangerous for a day or two till all settles down. I would request anyone with plans to go into Maharashtra or someone coming into Karnataka, be careful.
Lets pray to God, that all goes well from tomorrow & we get back to normal life. Life in the city is very normal, but the fact that you can’t be travelling can cause some hardships.

No seats this weekend:Private bus: Difficult to come home

I had posted this story earlier.
http://belgaumblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/private-buses-will-have-no-pick-up.html
It was about no pick up points in the city after the traffic police issued new orders.

To add to this story: This week and also the weekend is the highest demand for these operators and hence all have increased their fares by Rs.50 to 100. Above that getting to Hotel Ramdev you will need to spend more & if you are coming back home then getting down at Ramdev and then bargaining early morning with the auto to take you home, be prepared to spend a lot of money.
Altough all the pvt. buses have stopped the pick up after they were fined, I found that the police were "Prassanna" on a bus operator as it said its office was located in Tilakwadi. Now this is unfair. All the bus operators have said that the Will meet the SP today and give their memorandum. I don't understand, in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore there are pick up points and in Belgaum no pick up.
Many friends of mine planning a weekend here in Belgaum have cancelled their trip seeing all this.
For the previous post i have received a comment which i would like to share with you:
"It is kind a fair that private buses not be allowed into busy streets. It's safe. One way, these private operators should handle this is by providing smaller pickup vehicles like vans, mini buses etc. On the other hand, the other private mini-bus operators are a big nonsense and the autos in Belgaum are a worth less piece to so called "Services". Never ever have they operated on meters and never have they charged sensibly. Only thing you hear from their mouth is "we dont get return trip" so we have to pay for their incompetence/stupid logic.Hope I had enough money to run my own local transport is Belgaum on meters"

Private Buses will have no pick up points

Private buses in Belgaum, since the past 10 years or so had started pick up points in various parts of the city, especially Tilakwadi, Angol areas.

Now the traffic police have stopped the same as they these busses are causing traffic problems as they are parked on the road and that disturbs the traffic.

The police for this have booked 5 private busses. The police have asked the busses to start only form Hotel Ramdev and that there should be no pick up points in the city. Many travelers complained that by stopping this service it would be very difficult for them, as they would have to take an auto and auto charges Rs.100 from Angol to Ramdev. When complained to the police about this the police have said that if the auto does not ask fare by meter make a complaint to the police. Now you tell me friends when have you complained about the excess fare being charged to the police and when have the police responded to it.

So be prepared to shell more money for the auto to reach Ramdev to catch your bus.

ECS now in Belgaum also

"ECS" Electronic Clearing Service was launched at the SBI Service branch( Clearing Branch) Kirloskar Road Belgaum yesterday.

By this facility coming to town now all your cheques debit and credit can be done immediately and also you could now pay your mobile, insurance premias, SIPs etc by making use of this service.

PVG Translines has started a new AC coach 2 by 1 service to MUMBAI from today. The ticket is priced at Rs.500 and you are also going to get drinking water in the journey. I think just another way to travel.