The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is resorting to a rather urgent strategy to resume regular interstate services, as they have decided to lease private super-class buses for this purpose.
In the initial phase, the KSRTC has called upon owners of super luxury-class buses that are less than four years old to submit bids for conducting services on 23 designated routes. These buses are required to operate at ticket fares set by the public carrier.
Under the current regulations, buses registered in other states are obligated to pay a tax of Rs 2,500 per seat to operate services within Kerala. However, when these buses are leased by the KSRTC, they will be exempt from this tax, though the bus owners will need to share a specific portion of the profits with the KSRTC.
Currently, the KSRTC faces a deficit of 300 buses for interstate routes and plans to lease at least 100 buses to bridge this gap. Notably, the Corporation has refrained from purchasing super-class buses for long-distance services in the past eight years. The bus shortage has resulted in the cancellation of services, even on lucrative routes like Bengaluru, Mookambika, Mysuru, Coimbatore, Sullia, and Salem.
This move to lease buses is viewed as a practical solution to the challenges the KSRTC is facing. In addition to interstate services, many long-distance routes within the state are also frequently canceled. For example, the Thiruvananthapuram – Kozhikode AC low-floor services, which are typically fully booked and contribute substantial revenue to the KSRTC, were recently discontinued without prior notice.
KSRTC’s financial constraints extend to the inability to procure spare parts for its buses, making leasing a viable option in light of these funding limitations.
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