A ‘katta’ KSRTC bus love that went viral
“Sir, we are ‘katta’ (ardent) KSRTC fans. RSC 140 is our ‘chank’ (close to heart) bus. Will you please send it back to Erattupetta depot?” Hearing the demand from a girl over the phone, C T Johny, inspector at the KSRTC Aluva depot in Ernakulam, might have wondered: Does the KSRTC too have fans like this?
The girl on the other end of the line was firm in her demand that KSRTC bus RSC 140, which belonged to Erattupetta depot in Kottayam district and handed over to Aluva depot recently, be sent back to Erattupetta.
When their conversation became viral on social media, KSRTC managing director Tomin J Thachankary intervened and issued orders to return the bus to Erattupetta depot with immediate effect. And the girl, who raised the demand, catapulted to overnight stardom after the media published the reports about the ‘return of the bus’.
After staying in the dark for a while, the girl’s identity came to light when Thachankary met her at his office on Tuesday. Meet Rosmy Sunny, daughter of Sunny of Madukkankal house, Kappad near Kanjirappally. A student at Speedwings Aviation Academy in Kottayam, Rosmy is a regular passenger of the bus, which operates its service along Kattappana – Erattupetta – Pala – Kottayam. She gets on the bus from Pala every day.
“I have been a passenger on the bus for nearly a year. I don’t get the same comfort from any other bus as I did from RSC 140. All my friends also take this bus. Moreover, the bus is always very punctual as well,” Rosmy told Express.
When Rosmy made her call to the Aluva depot, the bus had been sent to Kannur depot. As per the advise of Johny, she took an appointment with Thachankary to raise the same demand.
However, her innocent words and Johny’s patient reply to her demand became an instant hit on social media, prompting the KSRTC to return the bus to Erattupetta depot. Taking into account the love of an ordinary passenger, Thachankary named the bus as ‘Chank bus’ after it was brought back to Erattupetta.
Meanwhile, Thachankari sent a letter to Johny, appreciating him for giving a patient and a satisfying reply to the demands of a regular KSRTC passenger. Thachankary also presented a paper of appreciation to Rosmy for her love for the KSRTC bus during her visit. She was accompanied by her friend Dimple Rose and the conductor of RSC 140 K A Sameer.
