Mysore/Mysuru: With KSRTC (Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation) Mysuru Urban Division sending as many as 118 buses under its control for scrap due to phasing out of old and unfit vehicles, the city commuters are faced with less number of buses to travel to their destinations.

The Mysuru Urban Division, after identifying unfit buses in April-May this year, which were purchased under JNNURM scheme during 2003-2004, has decided to send them for scrap as per the new National Vehicle Scrappage Policy.

This has left the KSRTC with lesser number of buses to operate on city routes, which has pushed the commuters including students to a lot of hardship.

The implementation of ‘Shakti’ scheme in June last year, which allows free bus travel for women anywhere within the State, has only compounded the problems with women availing free travel in buses more than ever before.

In order to meet the dearth of city buses, KSRTC Mysuru Urban Division has sourced  buses from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC – with KA-57 registration) and other buses (with KA-40 Registration of Chikkaballapur), totalling 30, as a stopgap measure.

While BMTC buses are of 2×2 seater type, KA-40 (red and silver coloured) registered buses are of 2×3 seater type, that are generally found operating on mofussil routes across the State.

The buses borrowed from Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) are operating on city routes and the other buses (KA-40 registered) are operating on short-distance mofussil routes within the district.

The borrowing of these buses has mitigated the commuter travel to some extent, but there is a still lot to be done.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Mysuru Urban Divisional Controller (DC) H.T. Veeresh said that the operation of 118 city buses which were identified for scrap in April-May had reduced the fleet strength of city transport.

Admitting that BMTC and other buses are borrowed for city operations, he said that new buses have been sought from the Government. In the first phase, the Division expects an addition of 40-50 new buses either in the last week of this month or the first week of next month, which will largely help in mitigating the passenger rush.

This apart, the addition of buses from the BMTC fleet is expected to effectively meet the passenger rush on city routes, he added.