Ordinary buses running as fast service; KSRTC with new plan to increase revenue

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC has come up with a shortcut to increase revenue by putting a board on ordinary buses to change it into Fast Passengers.

Such buses will be operated from Thiruvananthapuram district to Kaliakkavilai, which is the Tamil Nadu border, under the name City Fast. Ordinary buses are running as fast passengers in other districts also. This is a shortcut to charge higher ticket prices.

There are not enough buses to run fast passenger services, so ordinary buses are being converted into fast passenger services. The ticket price of ordinary is in the order of 10, 12 and 15 rupees, but fare can be charged in the order of 12, 15, and 18 rupees in the city fast. Earlier, by focusing on some depots, ordinary buses were converted into fast passenger services to increase revenue. With Ganesh Kumar coming as the minister of the department, this is being done widely.

In 2023, there were 1936 ordinary buses plying in Thiruvananthapuram district, which reduced to 1836 in January 2024. Not even 1000 buses are plying as ordinary service per day now. The situation is the same in other districts. Earlier, the fares of electric buses in the city were increased by Rs.10. Most of those buses are now City Fast services. Those who used to travel for Rs 10 have to pay Rs 15 and 18. As the number of services decreases, the number of people waiting at the bus stop increases. People will be forced to travel by crammed buses. Then the collection will increase. When the 'ordinary' board is replaced with a 'fast' board, the income will increase again.

Services going down

Services performed last year: 4300- 4500

Current Services: 3900-4200

Daily driven last year: 15 lakh km

Currently driven daily: 14 lakh km

"KSRTC is restructuring the service. Through this, there is now a 103 percent profit increase at the Pathanapuram depot. It will be implemented across the state. The loss is Rs 73 crore per month. This status quo cannot continue."

- Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar

(Said in the Assembly)