Nippani depot earned over Rs 2.7cr during Yallamma jatra bus operations

Belagavi: The annual jatra of Goddess Renuka Yellamma at Savadatti witnessed a huge turnout of devotees from Karnataka and Maharashtra throughout February.To facilitate pilgrims, the North West Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) operated 731 buses from the Nippani depot under the Chikkodi division during the month-long yatra in February, generating revenue of Rs 2.75 crore.Initially, buses from 6 divisions—Gadag, Bagalkot, Sirsi, Haveri, Belagavi and Chikodi—were deployed at the Nippani depot to manage the heavy rush. After the yatra concluded, the buses were returned to their respective depots.Officials said the transport department maintained a fare of Rs 57 per kilometre for the Savadatti Renuka jatra for hiring buses on rent. The 2-day pilgrimage covered around 300 kilometres, and devotees were offered a concession of up to 50 kilometres in travel. The discount attracted many pilgrims from Maharashtra, increasing the demand for NWKRTC buses this year.According to depot manager BM Sangappa, the jatra received an enthusiastic response, with devotees travelling to Savadatti throughout Feb. Special BS6 (Bharat Stage 6) buses with a seating capacity of 50 and automatic doors were deployed for the service.Divisional control officer MR Munji said the division set a revenue target of Rs 2.5 crore from the yatra this year, but exceeded it by earning Rs 2.7 crore. Last year, the revenue from the yatra stood at Rs 2.4 crore.The success of these operations brought cheer to officials, drivers, conductors and staff of the Nippani depot, who played a key role in managing the increased passenger traffic during the pilgrimage season.