Six more sleeper-class buses sought for Tirupati, Chennai, Mantralaya

Mysuru/Bengaluru:  The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) unveiled its upgraded Airavata Club Class 2.0 Volvo buses in Bengaluru yesterday.

This new Airavata Club Class 2.0 fleet includes 20 Volvo buses, each equipped with advanced features to enhance passenger comfort and operational efficiency. These buses will serve major routes including Shivamogga, Davanagere, Kundapura, Mangaluru, Tirupati, Hyderabad, Chennai, Raichur, Sriharikota, Kasaragod and Kozhikode.

Mysuru has received four of these buses, with two designated for Hyderabad and two for Chennai routes. The buses were officially flagged off at Vidhana Soudha by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Transport Minister R. Ramalinga Reddy.

The modern design of the Airavata Club Class 2.0 Volvo boasts a length of 15 metres and increased passenger space, featuring a 2×2 seating configuration that accommodates 51 passengers. Notable highlights include advanced air conditioning, USB and C-type mobile charging points, enhanced safety systems with rear fog lights and a Fire Alarm and Protection System (FAPS) equipped with water nozzles for emergencies.

Demand for sleeper buses

Mysuru KSRTC Divisional Controller Srinivas informed Star of Mysore this morning that they have requested six additional sleeper-class buses from the Mysuru Division to service routes to Tirupati, Chennai and Mantralaya in response to rising demand.

Additionally, the Mysuru Division has sought 50 ordinary-class buses to replace old and rickety vehicles that are over 15 years old, he added.

Sarige Suraksha accident relief

In conjunction with yesterday’s launch, KSRTC distributed Sarige Suraksha accident relief cheques of Rs. 1 crore each to the families of two deceased employees, along with welfare compensation to families affected by non-accident-related fatalities. KSRTC currently serves 34.92 lakh passengers daily across 8,849 vehicles.

To meet the increased post-COVID demand, KSRTC has also refurbished older vehicles. To date, 1,150 buses have been upgraded, including six high-end Volvos that can now travel an additional 4 lakh km.

The Government has approved the addition of 5,800 new buses across the four Transport Corporations in the State. Over the past year, 3,417 buses have already been introduced. This expansion aims to improve service quality and enhance coverage throughout Karnataka, particularly in the light of the Shakti Scheme.

Additionally, KSRTC has launched a recruitment drive to fill 9,000 positions across its divisions, including drivers, conductors and technical staff. So far, 1,883 employees have been recruited, with plans to fill the remaining positions shortly.