Existing fleet of buses falling short to cater to huge demand; buses operating in 100 percent occupancy
Mysore/Mysuru: With a massive increase in the number of women travelling in KSRTC buses after the State Government launched Shakti scheme that provides free travel for women, KSRTC Mysuru Division has asked the Government for 120 additional buses.
According to the Divisional Controller (DC) of KSRTC Mysuru Depot B. Srinivas, within a span of two weeks since the scheme was implemented on June 11, an impressive number of over 4.4 million women have travelled on the buses operated by KSRTC Mysuru Division, including the urban division.
The regular buses, which previously had an occupancy rate of 60 to 70 percent, are now running at full capacity with 100 percent occupancy. Some buses are even overloaded, exceeding their passenger capacity, with women being the majority of passengers, he revealed.
These statistics have resulted in a significant increase in revenue for the State-owned public transport, reaching Rs. 1.59 crore per day compared to the previous Rs. 1.25 crore, generating a surplus revenue of Rs. 34 lakh.
Rs. 10.26 crore revenue
Since the launch of the scheme, approximately 2,96,000 women passengers are now travelling daily in KSRTC buses in the Mysuru Division alone, generating revenue of Rs. 67 lakh from the journey of 4.48 million women so far. The total revenue from ticket fares, which will be borne by the State Government, amounts to Rs. 10.26 crore, Srinivas noted.
However, due to the increasing number of women boarding KSRTC buses, men are finding it challenging to secure seats for their travel, as reported by the drivers and conductors. While the passenger load remains normal on inter-city and inter-State routes, there has been a gradual rise in passenger numbers on city and rural buses within the KSRTC system, he added.
More drivers, conductors
Following the spurt in passenger density, the existing fleet of buses are falling short to cater to the demand. Hence, it has been proposed to KSRTC Central Office to allot 120 additional buses for KSRTC Mysuru Division, along with additional number of drivers and conductors to meet the requirement of increase in number of trips too.
The inevitable situation has paved the way for an increase in the number of trips for existing buses and it has been requested to provide additional drivers and conductors, he explained.
Currently, Mysuru Division has 1,071 buses including 830 buses in the ambit of Shakti scheme, air-conditioned Airavata and Rajahamsa buses including 3,454 conductors and drivers. “Despite a shortage of 200 personnel, we are somehow managing to run the buses,” added Srinivas.
If additional 120 buses are allotted as per the demand, a minimum of 400 drivers and conductors are required. But, with more women opting for regular buses than luxury buses like Airavata, Rajahamsa and electric buses, the division can make up for the losses from surplus revenue generated from Shakti scheme, noted Srinivas.
On the flip side, the women who were preferring to travel in private buses, cabs and autorickshaws are also turning towards KSRTC buses to make most of the Shakti scheme, dealing a severe blow to private transport operators, besides trains too where also there is a decline in the number of commuters.
Is this extra revenue earned is real or just notional ? If real KSRTC with increased revenue earning now should have the liberty to buy additional buses on their own . Will the Govt reimburse them for the free tickets issued by them to women or tell them to manage with whatever the buses now they have and with whatever revenue they earn from paying passengers ? Points to ponder ?
Phase out all the diesel engine buses and replace them into electric buses. Also explore if opportunity exists to replace the older diesel engines with battery operated electric motors including solar charging panels, where the diesel engines are at its end of its life. If BMTC city buses could be electric and operate at the same cost as our kempu bus, why not moffusil and intercity buses.
Where is the state government going to find the money to pay KSRTC? Roads, bridges,power etc;and other infrastructure will see funds being diverted. Freebies will destroy the economy of the state.
What our city needs is a mass transit system . But building metro means concrete pillars in the middle of the road which will spoil the old world charm of the city which is mysuru’s USP(unique selling proposition)for the tourism industry hence they should not allow metro.
Alternative. to metro is ART (Autonomous Rapid Transit ) which has been introduced in Sarawak, Malaysia .ART runs on rubber tyres and the ride is smooth as it uses stabilising technology.
Maybe a delegation led by Mr.Simha along with our mayor and corporators. should visit Malaysia on a study tour to experience the ART and then decide to implement it in Mysuru.
Since it runs. On rubber tyres the track can be in the middle of the road in central business district where the present median is and light poles can be provided from side foootpath.
Thane municipal corporation got 123 electric buses from funds of national clean. Air program( NCAP), will Mr.Simha get these funds/buses for Mysuu.
Express revenue and shakthi scheme are two parallel lines not going to meet.
Statistics report the volume of women traveling is increasing. On the other side the income generation should be looked into . If this continues feel that it will have a huge impact on the viability and deficit.
why freebies are given to women from hard earned taxes collected from men. had this freebie given to men every feminist would have cried their lungs out regarding discrimination and patriarchy.
@Pramod
If you have enough brain cells, learn to write English properly, before you post.
Hey Kini
You are residing in a world of delusion and conjure up things that you think will work. It papears , you are just an arm chair scribbler about things, and in this case, with no real work ewxperience of involved in any transport project.
Your propensity is to throw acronyms, cite examples from other places like Malaysia, which is a third world county, less developed than India. No need to visit any country for a mass transit system like the metro.
In life we have to have an attitude that we can learn something from everyone ,each person in life you meet gives you happiness or a lesson to remember Also there is nothing wrong in learning from Malaysia as they have futuristic mindset and the ART( autonomous rapid transit ) they are going to introduce is the first hydrogen powered ART with zero emission which will be good for improving mysuru’s environment as initiated by the centre to improve air quality in Indian cities under the national clean air program (NCAP)