To ensure comfortable long distance journey to commuters on Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses, the Transport Department has proposed to purchase 25 buses having toilet and pantry facilities. The multi-axle buses manufactured by Volvo will cost Rs. 80 lakh each.
Minister for Transport and Home R Ashok told mediapersons here on Thursday before placing order to purchase 25 buses, the company would give a bus having toilet and kitchen to run on a trial basis on longer routes for three months.
The staff would serve coffee, tea, and snacks to commuters.
These high-end luxury buses would prevent drunken driving. The bus having alcohol detecting instrument prevents a drunken driver from starting the bus, Mr. Ashok said. The KSRTC will purchase 25 sleeper buses for the benefit of commuters travelling long distances.
He said Government city buses would be operated in Gulbarga and Hubli cities soon. The transport department has been operating buses in Tumkur, Hassan, and Mysore cities.
The Minister was speaking to the press after launching a website Karnatakasainikwelfare.com at his office.
Opposing the slapping of Rs 70 crore income tax notice on KSRTC and BMTC for earning profits, the Minister said the Centre would be urged to give income tax exemption to both corporations since they were involved in many social service activities, like free bus passes to students, and concessional tickets for senior citizens.
The BMTC has been earning profit ranging Rs. 40 crore to Rs. 50 crore a year and the Centre should encourage profit making public entities, he said.
Strike
On the proposed strike by KSRTC employees from April 27 seeking higher salaries, the Minister said the salaries had already been hiked by 14 per cent and the additional burden on the corporation would be Rs. 200 crore a year.
