Thiruvananthapuram, 30 June (H.S.):Transport Minister C.P. John on Tuesday said the Kerala government has no intention of pitting the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) against private bus operators and is prepared to introduce route and schedule changes wherever necessary to ease the difficulties faced by the private sector.
Responding to the concerns raised by private bus owners, the minister said the government was willing to hold discussions with representatives of the sector and find practical solutions, while appealing to them not to suspend services as part of their protest since it would cause hardship to the travelling public.
John said the government had already extended significant support to private bus operators by reducing their motor vehicle tax by 50 per cent, resulting in an annual saving of around ₹50,000 for each bus. He added that the government was examining additional measures to improve the financial viability of private bus operations.
Among the proposals under consideration is allowing private buses to generate non-ticket revenue through advertisements, similar to the model currently followed by KSRTC. The minister said there was no legal restriction preventing private buses from carrying advertisements and the government would explore the possibility of creating an enabling framework.
He also said the government would study other revenue-generating options for private operators. Referring to the cargo services that were operated in the past, John said the feasibility of reintroducing bus cargo services would also be examined as another source of income.
The minister defended the government's Priyadarshini free travel scheme, saying it had benefited a large number of people, particularly women and transgender persons, by reducing household travel expenses and improving access to essential services. Beyond providing free travel, the scheme had also contributed to increasing disposable income for many families, he said.
At the same time, John acknowledged that the scheme had affected private bus operations on certain routes where KSRTC ordinary services and private buses operate simultaneously. He said the government was prepared to review route alignments and revise service schedules in such areas to minimise the impact on private operators.
“We are not interested in defeating anyone. Where there are genuine issues, we are ready to make necessary changes,” the minister said.
Reiterating that the government was open to dialogue, John said there was no objection to democratic protests by private bus operators, but urged them not to withdraw services. “Our request is that bus services should continue. Stopping services will only inconvenience the public. The issues are confined to a few routes, and we believe they can be resolved through discussions,” he said.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman
