2,000 buses with 12-year maintenance guarantee; no need to pay driver's salary; Kerala still turning its back to PM E-Bus Seva scheme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: More than 38,000 electric buses are being rented out to states under the central government's new PM E-Bus Seva scheme. When other states are competing to get more than 1,000 buses each, Kerala is hesitant. Kerala is showing the same indifference that made it miss the opportunity to get 950 buses in the first phase of the project. If the process is expedited, Kerala will be able to acquire around 2,000 buses, including the 950 agreed to be allotted earlier.

The Centre is making available 38,000 electric buses owned by a private company to states during 2025-2029 spending an amount of Rs 3,435.33 crore. This will be a big benefit for the KSRTC, which did not even have the capacity to give benefits to its employees during Onam.

When Antony Raju was the minister, steps were taken to give a guarantee to the Centre from the state finance department to get 950 e-buses in the first phase. With KB Ganesh Kumar taking over as the minister, the interest declined. KSRTC cancelled all the tenders for the purchase of new electric buses after differences of opinion with the then CMD Biju Prabhakar intensified in this regard. The process for the Centre's 950 e-buses was also frozen. 3,975 buses were allotted to other states at that time.

Loss for 10 cities

Kochi and Kozhikode cities were supposed to get 150 buses each, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kannur cities 100 each and Cherthala, Kayamkulam and Kottayam cities should have got 50 buses each in the first phase.

12 years guarantee

1. The union cabinet approved on September 13 for a revised scheme that will ensure a 12-year maintenance guarantee for the buses to be approved.
2. Buses that can run up to 350 km on a single charge. The rent is Rs 54 per km. The Centre will provide Rs 22. The rest has to be borne by Kerala.
3. The private company that provides the bus will hire and pay the driver's salary. They will also bear expenses such as charging, taxes and insurance.
4. The duty of KSRTC is only to appoint a conductor and pay the salary. The conductor's salary is Rs 8 per km.