Thiruvananthapuram: The 10 electric buses rented by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) are incurring huge loss. According to KSRTC each bus incurs a loss of Rs 7,140 per day.
The KSRTC had rented the 10 electric buses from a Bengaluru-based private company for 10 years. According to the data available in February, 4 buses each are plying in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi cities.
These buses are running at an average loss of Rs 7,140 per day. The statistical data was given by Transport Minister A. K. Saseendran in response to a query by V. D. Satheesan MLA in the Assembly on March 6.
KSRTC has given a report to the government stating that electric buses were not profitable. The report states that the loss was up to Rs 26 per kilometre. Even if the conductor is replaced with a card system similar to the one used in metro, there will be a loss of around Rs 20 per kilometre, the report stated.
Even when such a report from KSRTC is on their table, the state government is going ahead with plans to buy 3,000 electric buses.
