Taking into consideration the poor performance of inter-state services compared to its counterparts in other states, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is planning to augment the number of long-distance buses from Kerala to Karnataka within a month.
New super-deluxe buses will be utilised for this purpose. New permits for the services will be considered during the signing of the agreement between the Karnataka and the Kerala governments in a week’s time.
“Currently, the Kerala and Karnataka governments operate 180 schedules to and fro. However, inside sources with the KSRTC state that Kerala lags behind in operating successful services when compared to the Karnataka Government. An agreement with both the governments will be signed soon. Apart from the existing permits, we hope to receive new permits so that more number of buses can operate towards Karnataka. We have sought route proposals from several KSRTC depots in the state. This will be taken into consideration during the agreement signing,” said K M Irshad, executive director (operations), KSRTC.
From the Ernakulam zone, proposals to start services between Kothamangalam to Bangalore, Perumbavoor to Mysore, Perumbavoor to Manipal, Kottayam to Mookambika, Angamaly to Sringeri, and Ernakulam to Bangalore have been put forward to the KSRTC management.
“Only feasible routes will be taken into account and those permits will be fixed during the agreement. The rest of the permits will be revised,” officials added.
The KSRTC is planning to replace all the old super-deluxe buses currently plying in the state.
Currently, the KSRTC has 30 super deluxe buses whose agreements will be terminated by November. Twenty other buses will be utilised as spare. The others will be incorporated for the new permits.
The KSRTC is currently involved in building the bodies of new super-deluxe buses at its major workshop in Thiruvananthapuram.
The chassis have been purchased from other states. However, the body is constructed in Kerala and is built here.
Twenty of the chassis are purchased from Ashok Leyland company whereas the other thirty have been purchased from Tata. Each chassis costs Rs 12.70 lakh.
Discarding the myth that the KSRTC runs old-fashioned ‘stage carriers’, the corporation is currently on a spree to incorporate modern technology air suspension facilities in the buses.
It will take only 15-20 days to complete the construction of one bus.
Source: New Indian Express
