Representative Image: KSRTC buses | Photo: Mathrubhumi
Kollam: More than 1000 KSRTC buses fit for service remain idle at various KSRTC’s District Common Pool (DCP)centres across Kerala. These buses which were shifted to DCP centres along with dysfunctional ones have not yet hit the road despite the easing the Covid curbs.
Reportedly, the number of passengers relying on public transport have increased due to lifting of Covid restrictions. However, KSRTC has not yet decided on how to go about these buses which are non-operational since last April. There are about 1800 buses including the dysfunctional ones parked at 18 DCPs in the state.
Notably, KSRTC had a plan to reduce the cost by shifting dysfunctional buses to DCPs. In this regard, it was decided that around 800 buses which are 15 years old and inefficient will be shifted to DCP centres.
The objective was to minimize the extra liability by scrapping them. Under the garb of this process, even the fit buses were shifted to the DCP centres in the respective districts. Also, these fit buses were the ones first taken to DCP centres. The dysfunctional once were later towed to DCP centres.
The fit buses are maintained in the centres after detaching tyres and batteries from them. The diesel in the vehicles were also siphoned out. It was decided that the fit buses will be allocated to depots if there is a demand, while the dysfunctional ones will be scrapped.
However, despite increase in commuters, the buses fit for service remain idle. Scrapping process has not yet started. Also, the dysfunctional buses should be removed in order to shift operational vehicles to the depot.
In Edappal DCP there are 348 buses. Around 250 buses are there in Parassala and Angamaly. The rest are in Ernakulam, Cherthala, Chathannur and Chittoor DCPs. The buses which are fit for services were plying in rural areas. They include ordinary and limited stop ordinary buses.
At present, KSRTC is only operating ordinary buses nominally. Fast and Super-Fast category buses are plying. Despite easing of Covid-19 curbs and increasing number of daily commuters, KSRTC has not initiated measures to allocate buses from DCP centres to depots.
RELATED STORIES
.jpg?$p=8b480bb&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=36e3b7c&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
.jpg?$p=2922c1a&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=1052eeb&f=1x1&w=100&q=0.8)
.jpg?$p=2922c1a&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
.jpg?$p=1052eeb&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
