Through meticulous planning and cooperation of the personnel of the operations and mechanical wing, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) ensured hassle-free travel to commuters on Wednesday when private stage carriers went on a 24-hour strike in the capital city.
The State transport utility lessened the miseries that awaited the commuters on account of the strike by the 100-odd private stage carriers. The stir that began on Tuesday midnight was in protest against the KSRTC management enforcing a time limit for stoppage at the city bus terminal in East Fort against police harassment.
The KSRTC operated a record 108 schedules from the city depot alone and pressed 32 additional buses from various rural depots such as Attingal and Neyyattinkara.
Surprising the commuters, the KSRTC operated on routes such as Thaliyal where private stage carriers were keeping off the road owing to poor patronage. The KSRTC concentrated on routes such as Karamana-Peyad, Pangode-Peyad, Kannammoola-MCH-Sreekaryam, Pulayanarkotta, Konchiravila, Attukal-Maruthurkadavu, Vazhuthacaud-Vellayambalam-Sasthamangalam-Peroorkada, Beemapally, Vettucaud, and Karikkakom, where the monopoly is with private stage carriers.
Meticulous planning
Inspectors were seen at Peyad, Vattiyurkavu, Veli, Statue, Palayam, Peroorkada, MCH, Sreekariyam, Thirumala, Civil Station, Pongummoodu, Beemapally, Trikannapuram, Pallimukku, General Hospital, and other places from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. to regulate the schedules.
Five squads of officials based at Neyyattinkara, Kattakada, City Central, Nedumangad, and Attingal were on the road to divert the schedules depending on the need and load factor.
The four days of planning by the KSRTC was led by G. Anil Kumar, Executive Director, Operations; M.T. Sukumaran, Executive Director, Mechanical; and zonal officer B. Rajendran.
“The strike was a challenge for us and we have shown that we are capable of performing if the permits given to private stage carriers operating in the city limits are handed over to us. We have found that only 88 private buses are operating in the city,” a senior KSRTC official said. The KSRTC is also expecting a record collection.
