Mysuru: The KSRTC, which has been struggling to overcome losses due to rising operational expenses, received a major boost during Dasara as the KSRTC’s Mysuru Division registered a record collection of Rs. 7.93 crore in a period of just 13 days from Sept. 28 to Oct. 10.

In order to meet Dasara rush, the KSRTC Mysuru Division ran 271 additional buses — 179 buses of Mysuru depot, 51 of Chamarajanagar depot and 41 of Mandya depot, to different destinations of the State. While 226 of them operated from the Suburban Bus Stand, 45 operated from the City Bus Stand, according to Mysuru Divisional Controller Ashok Kumar.

Due to special Dasara operations, KSRTC earned a revenue of Rs. 3.17 crore in the period from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 and a record Rs. 4.76 crore in a single day on Oct. 10, thus recording a total collection of Rs. 7.93 crore in 13 days, during which over 7 lakh people travelled. In 2019, when  Dasara was last held in a full-scale, KSRTC had earned a revenue of just about Rs. 1.67 crore.

Ashok Kumar further said that the KSRTC earned a revenue of Rs. 7.93 lakh from Dasara package tours — Giridarshini, Jaladarshini, Devadarshini, Ooty Package and Mysuru Darshini, in the period from Sept. 28 to Oct. 9.

The KSRTC had deployed  53 buses, including 17 buses for Jaladarshini, 20 for Giridarshini, 5 for Devadarshini, 4 for Ooty Package and 7 for Mysuru Darshini, in which a total of 2,020 people travelled.

Ambaari double-decker bus collection at Rs. 28.21 lakh

The double-decker Ambaari bus service, operated by the KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) for visiting tourist spots and enjoying the Dasara illumination in the city, was a huge hit among the tourists and other visitors, as the KSTDC logged a record revenue collection of Rs. 28.21 lakh from this special service, in the period from Sept. 24 to Oct. 12, when the city witnessed a huge tourist influx for Dasara.

While the ticket for upper deck was fixed at Rs. 350 for a one-hour ride in the city, the price was Rs. 250 for the lower deck. A total of 9,121 tourists travelled in Ambaari buses in the 19-day period.