The first bus ever to ply in the state has been given a makeover and will now be proudly displayed at the offices of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) from today.
A historic Bedford model built by the Bedford Coach Body Ltd., Canada, the bus - with registration number MYF 4101 - was in use in Vijayapura from 1947. The state inherited the vehicle through the Mysore Government Road Transport Department after the reorganization of states in 1956 and the bus was reconditioned and used again in 1968.
With a Perkins P6 engine, the bus was withdrawn from passenger services and was later used to ferry staff members during their fair operations at Banashankari and Savadatti in North Karnataka. It was this that earned the bus its name - Sri Banashankari bus.
After languishing at several workshops over the past few years, the bus will now be greeting visitors to the KSRTC offices.
