Kerala govt grants two-year extension for 1,200 KSRTC buses set to complete 15 years
By Aishwarya Nair | First Published Sep 29, 2024, 12:10 PM ISTThe Kerala government has granted a two-year extension for KSRTC 1,200 buses that are set to complete their 15-year term. This decision follows the lack of response from Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to a request made by state's transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar for an extension.
Thiruvananthapuram: The state government has announced a two-year extension for the KSRTC 1,200 buses whose 15-year term will be completed tomorrow. This decision comes after Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar's request to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for an extension went unanswered. It is argued that the action was taken considering the potential impact of removing such a large number of buses from service. However, there are concerns about the legal validity of the order.
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KSRTC is facing a significant crisis due to the lack of new buses. When the left government came to power, there were 6,200 buses and 5,200 scheduled services. However, only 4,000 buses are currently in operation. This situation comes as 1,200 buses that are 15 years old will have their term expire on the 30th of this month. According to central motor vehicle rules, buses must be removed from service once their term is over. In anticipation of this, there was a major announcement that Rs 92 crores would be allocated as a budget provision for KSRTC to purchase new buses. However, due to severe financial constraints, budget allocations have been cut for all departments.
KSRTC management has been waiting for some financial assistance with the hope of receiving at least half of the funds. However, the file is reportedly still stalled in the Finance Department. If the buses are removed from service, it will severely impact operations, leading to public unrest. In light of this, two weeks ago, Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar wrote to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari requesting a two-year extension for the 15-year-old buses.
The letter states that the government is in a severe crisis and lacks the funds to purchase new buses. Despite being 15 years old, most of the buses are still in good condition, which is why a favorable decision from the central government was requested. However, no response has been received. Considering the public interest, the Transport Department Secretary has issued an order to extend the bus terms by two years. While the final authority for extending the terms lies with the central government, there is a possibility that the legal validity of the government order could be challenged in court.
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