Sabarimala season: Services in Malabar to be hit

KOZHIKODE: The already fragile transport system in the Malabar is likely to be weakened further with the probable diversion of nearly 100 KSRTC buses from the region for the seasonal Sabarimala trips.More than 600 buses are needed for the Sabarimala trips, which start in early November. Usually, the requirements are met with the introduction of around 350 new buses. But sources revealed to The Express that the new buses were not going to arrive for the Sabarimala trips this season. “Thanks to numerous delays, not even a small percentage of buses are expected to be on the road in time for the Sabarimala season,” they said.KSTRC executive director S Salim Rajan also confirmed that the new buses would not be available in time.“A number of factors have caused this. One is that this year we have a new government in place and a number of policy decisions take time to be finalised. Tenders have been called and we will introduce them as soon as they are ready,” he said.The KSRTC normally diverts around 40 buses from Malabar depots during the Sabarimala season. But, under the present circumstances, this number is likely to be increased to more than a 100.  “This will severely affect the workings of the KSRTC in the Malabar. The region is already experiencing a shortage of buses. Withdrawing even more buses will worsen the situation,” said sources within the Kozhikode wing of the KSRTC. They also admitted that the corporation was currently unable to allot buses for trips that had already been allotted.  “Trips along the Kunnamangalam route and the Mannankuzhy-Balussery route have both been allotted but we currently do not have the buses to run these trips,” they said.  The Express had earlier reported that a shortage of KSTRC services had partially cut off inward areas.