A fleet of 18 air-conditioned multi-axle Scania Metrolink buses branded ‘Garuda Maharaja’ is awaiting the green signal to begin operations, at KSRTC Staff Training Centre, Attakulangara. The registration process of these new luxury liners, which KSRTC possessed after Volvo coaches, are in progress. The buses were delivered to KSRTC in the last week of March.
KSRTC has requested the government for exemption in several clauses in the motor vehicles rules for registration of these luxury buses as stage carriers. Exemptions are sought for operating these buses as single-door vehicles and to dispense with the need for a separate cabin for the driver. Once the registration process is over, KSRTC can apply for the interstate route permit.
It was after a three month-long trial run of the Scania Metrolink bus conducted last year that KSRTC ordered 18 buses for Rs 99 lakh each in the third week of February. The distributors delivered the buses in the city on March 25. Though new arrivals are usually maintained at the KSRTC central workshop at Pappanamcode, Scania buses have been parked at the KSRTC staff training centre due to space constraint at the workshop. The planned interstate route includes Pondicherry, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
News : Times of India
