Amid vehicle scrapping policy, KSRTC faces ordinary bus shortage
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Representational image | Photo: IANS
Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is facing a severe shortage of buses for its ordinary services as it struggles to balance the Centre's vehicle scrapping policy with a shrinking fleet.
Under the Union government's vehicle scrapping policy, all state and central government vehicles older than 15 years are required to be taken off the road. For KSRTC, officials said strict implementation of the policy would have resulted in the immediate withdrawal of more than 1,100 buses, most of them ordinary services that operate under the popular Priyadarshini scheme, The New Indian Express reported.
To avoid a major disruption to public transport, the Kerala government temporarily extended the operational life of state-run buses to 20 years and prolonged the validity of their registrations until September 30, 2026. However, officials said the measure only provides temporary relief, as the Centre continues to pursue implementation of the original policy.
An official said the corporation needs a long-term plan to strengthen its fleet, adding that although the Transport Minister had raised the issue with the Union government, no progress had been made.
According to official figures, KSRTC scrapped 2,202 buses between 2016 and February 2025 but procured only 538 new buses during the same period, resulting in a widening gap between retired and newly inducted vehicles.
Officials said the situation was compounded by the fact that most of the newly acquired buses were allotted to the premium KSRTC-SWIFT services, while the parent corporation received only around 100 new buses for its ordinary fleet.
Although KSRTC has a registered fleet of 5,765 buses, operational limitations allow it to run only 4,663 daily schedules. The corporation's active fleet currently comprises 4,468 buses.
The pressure on the ordinary fleet has increased further following the introduction of the Priyadarshini scheme, which offers free travel for women on ordinary buses. The scheme has led to a 29 per cent increase in daily ridership, with passenger numbers rising from 19 lakh to 24.5 lakh, resulting in overcrowding on many routes.
The increased passenger load on ageing buses has also raised safety concerns, particularly in the wake of several accidents involving overcrowded ordinary services.
To address the shortage without placing additional financial strain on KSRTC, the state government is exploring decentralised funding options. Transport Minister C.P. John said the government plans to amend the existing law to enable MLAs and local self-government institutions to use local plan funds to purchase and sponsor buses for public transport in their communities.