Kottayam (Kerala): Night-time passengers are left stranded on the roadside as KSRTC Premium buses speed past, flouting rules. Due to limited halts, crew members conduct 'interviews' with commuters at the bus stands, turning away several people on the spot. Even if someone manages to board, they are tormented by being denied a drop at their requested stop. Such arbitrary practices have pushed the Premium service into financial losses.

Several Premium services have already been curtailed, and crews aboard the remaining buses refuse to pick up passengers. These Premium buses are violating official directives issued by the Transport Department and KSRTC to ease the night-travel hardships of commuters, including women. As per an earlier departmental circular, all buses, including superfasts, must stop at any safe location requested by passengers between 10 pm and 6 am. Only 'Minnal' (lightning) express services were exempted from this rule.

A total of 200 superfast buses were rebranded into the 'Premium' category, accompanied by a fare hike. Despite offering a comfortable ride, commuters are now avoiding them due to the hassle during night travel. Regular commuters at stops that existed when these were operated as standard superfast services have abandoned them altogether.

The Kottayam–Kumily route is among those worst hit by this restructuring. The Thiruvalla–Madurai and Ernakulam–Madurai Superfast buses operating via Kottayam after 9 pm were recently converted into 'Premium' services. These were key services relied upon by daily commuters and night-time train passengers arriving in Kottayam from far-off places. Since the conversion, after departing Kottayam, these buses stop only at Pampady, 14th Mile, Ponkunnam, Kanjirappally and Mundakkayam.

Similarly, a superfast service running between Pathanamthitta and Kozhikode for three decades was upgraded to Premium, leading to the cancellation of key stops like Elanthoor and Pullad, which severely dented revenue. The daily service operating from Kottayam to Kunnakkad via Thrissur and Kannur was reduced to a weekly trip due to heavy financial losses. The Kottayam–Panathur service has also been scaled down to once a week.