Vande Bharat delays frustrate Onam travellers, Kerala RTC rolls out extra buses

Onam travel has become a challenge for passengers as the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express continued to face major delays, prompting Kerala RTC to introduce temporary interstate services using leased private luxury buses.

Kerala RTC has started operating hired air-conditioned buses to destinations including Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kozhikode to manage the festival rush. Return services from Kerala to Bengaluru are also scheduled in the coming days for passengers travelling back after Onam.

The transport corporation had floated tenders to hire 63 air-conditioned buses on a wet-lease basis for six months. Private operators will provide drivers and maintain the vehicles, while Kerala RTC will deploy its own conductors.

The buses will operate under the Kerala RTC brand and must be less than five years old and properly maintained.

Vande Bharat delays frustrate passengers

The additional services come as the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat Express faced delays for the third consecutive day.

On Uthradam, the train scheduled to leave Bengaluru early in the morning departed at 8:03 am, nearly three hours behind schedule, and reached Ernakulam at 5:08 pm.

The delays have caused frustration among commuters and Onam travellers who chose the premium service for faster travel.

Train service expected to normalise

Railway authorities have said the operational issues behind the delays have been addressed and that the Bengaluru-Ernakulam Vande Bharat is expected to return to its regular schedule from Thursday.

The additional Kerala RTC services provide an alternative for passengers during one of Kerala's busiest travel periods. The move also comes at a time when demand for transport between Bengaluru and Kerala is particularly high, making disruptions to a premium train service more noticeable.