The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has found that 925 buses have been remaining idle in various depots, causing a daily revenue loss of Rs. 65 lakh to the ailing corporation.

M.G. Rajamanickam, who assumed charge as the managing director of the KSRTC recently, found in an enquiry that these buses were awaiting repairs for the past several months with some of them idling for more than six months.

He directed all depots to repair all the buses and ensure that they resume service within three months. The corporation has also provided Rs. 40 lakh for repair of 300 buses in the first phase.

According to employees, lack of spare parts and staff shortage took the buses off roads.

The managing director’s enquiry found that the corporation has been suffering a loss of Rs. 65 lakh, if the estimated revenue from a bus is Rs 7,000 a day.

Some of the schedules were returning a daily revenue of more than Rs 10,000, taking the total loss to Rs 1 crore.

The managing director, in a meeting of depot heads, issued the directive to repair and make the buses roadworthy within three months. Rs 20 lakh has been handed over to depots to complete the minor repairs of 150 buses and prepare them to resume schedules within a week.

The KSRTC has been operating 4,500 schedules a day, but it often went down to 4,000. With one-fourth of its fleet idling in depot workshops, the corporation had been hit since it required a daily revenue of Rs. 7 crore to tide over the current financial crisis.

The KSRTC has been earning Rs. 5 crore per day. With the support of employees, the revenue it garnered over Rs. 6 crore daily recently, but it dipped significantly after some time.

The corporation had slashed Re. 1 in ticket fare based on diesel price fluctuation, but the government was yet to decide on a hike the KSRTC had recommended in the light of increased fuel price.

SOURCEManorama Online
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