With the passage of time, the appearance of vehicles is expected to evolve. However, transport buses and trains have remained largely unchanged for many years. In recent times, there have been significant changes in this regard. The reason people eagerly embraced the arrival of Vande Bharat was their desire for this change.

Even the buses, which used to maintain the same shape and style for years, have begun to undergo transformations. This shift coincided with the introduction of electric buses which are relatively compact in size. Consequently, they possess a unique advantage - the ability to navigate the inner-city roads. To fully leverage this advantage, it is essential to increase their numbers. Regrettably, the state transport corporation currently lacks the financial resources to procure new buses despite the allocation of funds from KIIFB. As of now, the transport department has yet to receive the allocated 75 crores from the government.

The losses incurred by the Transport Corporation are unlikely to be recuperated unless outdated buses are phased out and replaced with electric ones. In this predicament, the Central government extended an offer to lease 950 new electric buses. While many other states enthusiastically accepted this offer, Kerala exhibited reluctance. These buses have a range of 350 km on a single charge with the Centre covering 40.7 percent of the rental costs. KSRTC will only be responsible for the remaining rent and conductor salaries, resulting in a monthly fuel cost savings of 25 crores. The entire income generated from these buses will benefit KSRTC.

On October 2, Kerala Kaumudi featured a headline by Special Correspondent Kovalam Satheesh Kumar titled 'We do not want 950 e-buses leased by the Centre' revealing Kerala's lack of interest in spite of the attractive offer. The news highlighted that despite receiving the notification in April, the state had not yet given its consent. These buses were to be procured under a private partnership model and there were allegations that the state was avoiding it due to suspicions that the Centre would politically benefit from it.

Following this news, social media witnessed a flurry of trolls targeting the state government. In response, the government has broken its silence and is now prepared to accept the 950 buses. The state's transport department will send a letter to the central government expressing its consent. This change of heart by KSRTC which previously lacked the funds to purchase buses, is a positive development. In such matters, the welfare of the people should take precedence over political considerations. While it is valid to criticize the central government politically, shunning innovative plans they propose ultimately harms the people, who bear the brunt of such losses and hardships.