The crisis-ridden Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) can look forward to better days as Central schemes to rejuvenate State transport undertakings (STU) to wipe out loss, expand the fleet, and improve the transport network are on the anvil.
The Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), in its interim report, has asked the States to prepare a rejuvenation and expansion plan for the STUs.
MORTH has also been asked to explore funding options such as multilateral agencies and to proactively support such initiatives. The States have also been asked to study the public transport requirements.
The remaining fleet requirement can be met with assistance of the private sector with effective regulation.
The GoM, comprising Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, has also stressed the need to increase the share of public transport that is on the decline since Independence.
At present, there are 1.28 buses for every thousand population. Of this, the share of STU buses is significantly low at 9 per cent.
To encourage the shift from cars and two-wheelers to public transport, the GoM has recommended deregulation of the luxury segment of public transport buses. “This will be subject to the first right of refusal to the State transport undertakings,” the third interim report submitted at the recent GoM meeting at Dharmasala said. However, the States will be given the freedom to develop their own roadmap.
News : The Hindu
