KSRTC to buy 100 Seater-cum-Sleeper buses

Mysuru Division plans to run new buses on Mysuru-Tirupati,  Mysuru-Chennai routes

Mysore/Mysuru: Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is all set to add 100  seater-cum-sleeper buses to its fleet and KSRTC Mysuru Division has submitted a proposal for procuring four of these buses, for the ease of passenger service.

KSRTC operates buses in various classes namely Ordinary, Rajahamsa and Airavata to name a few, with Air-Conditioned (AC), non-AC and sleeper  facilities. But still they lack swanky features to give a run for money for private operators. The seater-cum-sleeper buses are also not available with KSRTC, forcing the commuters to prefer private buses over State-run buses.

In this wake, KSRTC, for the first time is buying seater-cum-sleeper buses, which will be extremely hi-tech than private buses, the tenders for which has been floated by KSRTC to buy 100 buses. Of them, 30 shall be AC with seater-cum-sleeper facility and 70 non-AC seater-cum-sleeper buses. The tenders were called on June 14 and the process to procure buses is expected to be completed by six months.

Initially, five AC seater-cum-sleeper buses and 10 non-AC buses will hit the road on experimental basis. More number of these category buses will be procured, depending on the feedback of commuters.

The expert team will conduct various tests during trial run of the buses and in case of any dissatisfaction with the service, it has been also decided to call off the process of procuring the buses, as per the specifications made in the tender agreement.

Srinivas, KSRTC Divisional Controller of Mysuru Division said “We have submitted a proposal for four seater-cum-sleeper buses, with the details provided to operate two buses on each of Tirupati and Chennai routes.”

KSRTC higher-ups had sought proposals from all the divisions in the State, about the number of buses required and the routes on which they shall be operated.

The new type of buses is expected to be a shot in the arm for Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, with not many such buses operated on Mysuru-Bengaluru route. Though private operators own such category buses, their numbers won’t match with the demand.Hence, many of inter-State passengers travel till Bengaluru in ordinary buses and change over to seater-cum-sleeper buses in Bengaluru, to continue their journey.