Thiruvananthapuram: As part of its major fleet modernisation, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has rolled out its new buses, now grabbing attention across social media. The fresh batch features a distinctive new body design, marking a shift from the traditional KSRTC bus appearance.

Photos of the new KSRTC buses have gone viral online, sparking a wave of mixed reactions from netizens and bus enthusiasts. While some welcomed the sleek, modern look, others expressed nostalgia for the older design.

These new buses are built on Tata chassis, with ACGL (Automobile Corporation of Goa Ltd) handling the body construction. The initial batch includes vehicles for both the Fast Passenger and Super Fast categories. Though the overall body design remains the same across both, there's a noticeable difference in the front colour schemes to distinguish the services.

Temporary registration details indicate that the bus body fabrication was done in Goa.

80 buses arrive in first batch

KSRTC had recently confirmed the procurement of 143 new buses and advance payments were already made to manufacturers. According to Transport Minister updates, 80 buses were expected in the first phase, which are now beginning to arrive. Of these, 60 are Super Fast services, 20 are Fast Passenger services. The remaining 63 buses are expected to be delivered within the next three months.

Major bus makers on board

For this project, KSRTC is sourcing vehicles from major Indian commercial vehicle manufacturers, including Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Eicher.

The state government allocated ₹107 crore in the budget for KSRTC's bus purchases. The Finance Department has already released ₹62 crore, out of which ₹22.9 crore has been paid as advance to the manufacturing companies.

Ashok Leyland has been given orders for premium buses, which include 8 AC sleeper buses, 10 AC sleeper-cum-seater buses, 8 AC semi-sleeper buses.

For ordinary routes, KSRTC is also buying 37 small buses, including 9-meter models suited for rural and town routes.