The K.S.R.T.C chain service from Mallappally is turning out to be a great success. The tiring bus ride in Kozhencherry-Mallappally-Kottayam route seems to be over by the flooded K.S.R.T.C buses in this route. Per day collection is being recorded over Rs.65000. Earlier the route was dominated by the private bus operators until the chain service of K.S.R.T.C buses got inaugurated on June 14, 2008 by Hon’ble Transport Minister Sri. Mathew T Thomas.
The tiring travel in the Kottayam – Kozhencherry route is going to end with the initiative taken by the government of Kerala. Now onwards K.S.R.T.C buses will be available every 20 minutes in this route. 14 new buses are available in this route now. Mallappally K.S.R.T.C operating station now owns 32 buses as its own. Altogether the new buses run 70 trips per day. The total income in Mallappally Depot crossed Rs.1.55 lakhs by the introduction of new buses. By the introduction of chain service, more buses are allotted to hilly areas and remote places in Mallappally Taluk from the depot. “K.S.R.T.C is progressing forwards with many new revenue generating methods of raising funds and will soon become a profit generating venture soon. Mallappally operating station have scope for many developmental opportunities and the people here should cooperate to make it a great success”, he said in his inaugural address. M.L.A Joseph M Puthussery presided over the function. He also declared Rs.5 lakhs from his fund for the development of Mallappally Bus Station.
K.S.R.T.C is incurring huge loss each day. They had changed there way of operations to minimize the income-expense which is huge at this stage. They are building large shopping malls and complexes in major K.S.R.T.C bus stations across Kerala. Buses are being called for tender unlike earlier method of buying directly.
The buses in this route are supposed to keep the ‘time’ and should not go for competition ending up with accidents. Accidents are more frequent in this route among the private buses operating here, while in a hurry to catch more people than its ‘competitor’. This competition may get more intense by the introduction of K.S.R.T.C buses. Government should make every necessary steps to make sure that the life of common man is taken care of.
Unfortunately few incidents were reported where some K.S.R.T.C workers faced attacks while in operation. The complain raised by the K.R.T.C workers is that these are planned by the private bus operators and police is not taking any actions against them.
