THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: KSRTC has shifted 1760 buses, that were removed from service, from depots to 11 Corporation-owned centers. Most of these will be scrapped and sold after being examined by a panel of experts. The best of the rest will be put on the road. Others will be converted to 'Wheel on Shop'.
In view of the sharp decline in bus services due to the second wave of Covid, 1760 buses were shifted to places like Enchaikkal, Edappal, Aluva and Parashala on the instructions of MD Biju Prabhakar. An expert panel consisting of an engineering college representative, workshop manager, vehicle supervisor and a retired mechanical engineer from the Department of Motor Vehicles will inspect the buses. After Covid outbreak, a maximum of 3,300 buses were in service. An additional 500 buses have been provided to the unit officers for service. The rest of the buses will be given to the assistant work managers of each district for maintenance.
460 new buses
KSRTC will purchase 460 new buses, including 310 CNG and 50 electric, and the tender process is in its final stages.
Rs 10 crore is required to purchase spare parts for the buses which have been shifted for inspection. Rs 12 crore is needed for tires and batteries. The KSRTC vigilance unit had found that diesel fraud by siphoning them from buses not in service was widespread.
Yesterday KSRTC conducted 1923 schedules but due to lack of passengers half of it was stopped at around 11 in the morning. The collection was Rs One crore and one lakh rupees. It was Rs 3.33 crore on Saturday.