Mysuru: In the cultural city of Mysuru, city buses are undergoing a colour transformation after 15 years, with the new sky blue and white scheme receiving widespread appreciation from passengers.

The Shakti Yojana, one of the five guarantee schemes of the State Government, has led to a significant rise in passengers using State transport buses — particularly a doubling in the number of female commuters.

Amid concerns over the shortage of buses, Mysuru city buses are quietly undergoing a colour revamp, catching the attention of commuters. Previously, city buses operated in green and light red, but now they are being repainted in sky blue and white.

Phased introduction of new buses

Over 100 buses purchased under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) scheme were scrapped four months ago after clocking over one million kilometres, as per regulations. To replace them, the State Government has been introducing new Tata-manufactured buses in phases. These new buses, painted in sky blue and white, have been well received.

Recognising this positive feedback, the Transport Department decided to extend the new colour scheme to all Mysuru city buses. The repainting process is happening in phases, covering all 575 buses in the Mysuru city division — including 550 urban and taluk buses and 25 buses at the Nanjangud depot.

30 buses repainted every month

As per KSRTC regulations, 30 to 40 buses undergo mandatory Fitness Certificate (FC) renewal each month. Before these inspections, buses are being repainted in the new colour scheme, ensuring that over 30 repainted buses hit the roads every month.

Buses scheduled for scrapping within 2-3 months will not be repainted. As a result, a small number of buses will continue operating in their old colours until they are phased out.

For buses with well-functioning engines but damaged exteriors, the Mysuru city division has initiated a body replacement programme. So far, six buses have been retrofitted with new bodies and are back in service. The cost of rebuilding a bus body is approximately Rs. 3-4 lakh, making them look and function like new.

After years of maintaining the same colour schemes, Mysuru city buses are now aligning with passenger preferences. The newly introduced sky blue and white buses received overwhelming praise, prompting the KSRTC to adopt this new identity for all city buses. As they undergo FC renewals, all buses will be repainted in the new colours, making Mysuru’s transport fleet more uniform and visually appealing. — H.T. Veeresh, Divisional, Controller, Mysuru City Division