Thiruvananthpuram, 02 August (H.S.):Two state-of-the-art Volvo luxury buses purchased by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) during the previous government’s tenure are finally set to begin operations ahead of Onam, after remaining idle at the Thiruvananthapuram Central Workshop for nearly three months.
The buses, purchased at a combined cost of around Rs 4 crore, will enter service with significant changes to their branding, colour scheme and proposed routes. The earlier “Business Class” tag given by former Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar is being dropped following directions from incumbent Transport Minister C.P. John. The premium service will now be known as “Executive Class.”
KSRTC has also decided to alter the existing colour scheme of the buses. The changes to the name and exterior colour alone are expected to entail an additional expenditure of nearly Rs 1 lakh.
Designed to offer an airline-style travel experience, the Volvo buses are equipped with premium reclining seats modelled on business-class cabins. Passenger amenities include a pantry, toilet, individual television screens, Wi-Fi connectivity and mobile charging facilities.
The routes originally planned for the two buses have also been revised. One will operate on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam route as initially proposed, while the second has been shifted to the interstate Alappuzha-Bengaluru route.
KSRTC had earlier proposed deploying “bus hostesses” on both services, similar to cabin crew on flights. Under the revised plan, however, the facility will be available only on the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam service.
Meanwhile, uncertainty continues over a proposed tax exemption for the two buses. The file seeking the concession is awaiting Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan’s approval.
During the previous government’s tenure, KSRTC buses were granted a six-year tax exemption without Finance Department approval. Officials said lingering concerns within the department over that decision have contributed to the delay in clearing the latest proposal.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
