THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid the rising financial crisis, the KSRTC is all set to purchase automatic washing machines for Rs 1.12 crores. The move comes in the wake of the ongoing salary crisis in the KSRTC. When Balakrishna Pillai was the transport minister, this machine was bought for Rs 68 lakh, but it was sold off three months later, following a strike.
The move comes on account of the complaint that the recently bought SWIFT buses are not being cleaned. The machines will be set up in the Thampanoor bus terminal. Three companies have been asked to submit tenders for the same. The maintenance duty of the machine will be entrusted upon the company for four years, while KSRTC will bear the cost of water and detergents.
Currently, the buses are washed by daily wage workers. A sum of Rs 25 is required for washing a bus using hose. Superfast and City Circulars are washed every two days while Ordinary, Generic and Non AC buses are washed every three days. There will be two people on morning duty and four for night duty in Thampanoor. One person will wash a maximum of 15 buses.
Automatic machines