KSRTC to roll out 1,000 new buses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the KSRTC is on a wild hunt for drivers to maintain the existing services, Transport and Devaswom Minister V S Shivakumar has announced that the government will roll out 1,000 buses in the current financial year, in order to compensate the shortage of buses in the state.Announcing the 100-day programmes of both Transport and Devaswom Departments here on Thursday, the Minister said that even as more buses would be rolled out, the focus would also be on improving the passenger amenities in the existing buses, so as to attract more passengers towards using the services of the KSRTC.‘The aim is to revive the organisation and give it a facelift so that it turns out to be a good public utility service,’’ the Minister said, even though the government seems to be totally in the dark on how to make the organisation, which incurs a loss of Rs 40 crore per month, profitable even while carrying the burden of disbursing huge amount as pension.   The Minister announced revision of salaries of the empanelled drivers so as to avail the services of more of them. ‘’Presently, there is a shortage of 2,000 drivers. As the salaries of empanelled drivers are low, it would be revised,’’ he said, adding that the salary revision of the regular employees would be finalised after discussions. While announcing the plan to build 57 new shopping complexes, the Minister said that the ongoing construction of shopping complexes at Kattakkada, Nedumangad, Payyannur, Harippad, Injakkal and Thodupuzha would  be speeded up. A new campaign ‘Safe Woman Safe Travel’ has been announced in the 100-day campaign which aims at ensuring the safety of women at bus stations and in the buses. The computerisation of the transport offices for the payment of taxes, fee, cess and other charges and the launching of computerised driving test yard forms part of the 100-day programme of the Transport Department.  For the Devaswom Department, the Minister announced that a master plan cell would be formed to speed up the implementation of the Sabarimala Master Plan. A meeting of the Devaswom Ministers of southern states will be convened to seek measures to improve the facilities for the Sabarimala pilgrimage.