Planning a holiday in Kerala? KSRTC’s Budget Tourism Cell launches buses with better seating and 1,600 tour options

Vaikom: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Budget Tourism Cell (BTC) is introducing a fresh look as part of its expansion. A fleet of 150 buses painted in a yellow-and-green combination has been rolled out for BTC operations. In the first phase, 15 buses have been handed over to selected depots. Super Fast buses that are less than 10 years old are being refurbished in the new colour scheme.

These upgraded buses now include mobile charging points, seats with headrests and music systems. The refurbishment work is being carried out at the central workshop near Pappanamcode in Thiruvananthapuram, as well as the main workshops in Mavelikkara, Aluva, Edappal and Kozhikode. In the initial phase, the buses were issued to depots such as Ernakulam, Aluva, Palakkad, Venjarammoodu, Pathanamthitta and Vithura, which run 15 BTC services per month. In the next stage, more depots will receive buses based on the set criteria.

BTC has organised 1,600 tourist packages. Special trips will operate to Thanjavur, Ooty, Kodaikanal, Mahabalipuram, Kanniyakumari, Kumbakonam, Palani and Chennai in Tamil Nadu. At present, trips are conducted to Madurai, Rameswaram and Kodaikanal with route permits. Steps have been taken to organise trips to popular tourist places in Karnataka. Since its launch in November 2021, BTC has expanded to 80 of the 93 KSRTC depots. The initiative now brings in crores in revenue. Gavi in Pathanamthitta remains the most preferred destination for passengers. At least three trips to Gavi are operated daily from various depots. Munnar, Ponmudi and Nelliyampathy also attract strong interest.

Special package for Sabarimala pilgrims

A dedicated pilgrim package has been introduced for Sabarimala devotees. Chief Traffic Manager R. Udayakumar said that 80 services were operated within four days. Special packages are available at the Kottayam, Chengannur and Ernakulam railway stations for pilgrims arriving from other states. Cloakroom and bathing facilities have been arranged for those travelling on BTC services to Pampa. A coordinator has also been appointed to ensure essential facilities at Sannidhanam.