Shortage of drivers and funds for operation and maintenance (O&M) has resulted in less than 100 of the 190 AC low-floor buses of the Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation (KURTC) conducting services in the State.
Most buses from the first lot of Volvo fleet inducted in 2009 into the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), the parent body of the KURTC that operates them now, have been grounded citing shortage of funds for operation and maintenance. This is despite the KSRTC not making capital investment for the buses procured under the JNNURM scheme, with each bus costing ₹80 lakh. The Centre provided 80% of the funding and the State the rest of the procurement expense.
A senior KSRTC official said less than half the fleet of the low-floor buses was operated daily due to shortage of drivers and funds. A similar situation prevailed during summer months, despite demand from commuters to travel in air-conditioned comfort.
In the meantime, the KSRTC has managed to bring down the dues it owes to Vista Driveline Motors, the agency that repairs and maintains the corporation’s 202-strong fleet of Volvo buses, which include multi-axle buses that operate inter-State services. “The dues are down from ₹3 crore earlier this year to ₹1.80 crore,” said Siby Mathai, managing director of the agency.
Spares in short supply
The KSRTC is also learnt to be facing shortage of spare parts and tyres. Buses which operate with worn-out tyres were in the spotlight a week ago after a video posted by a driver of a superfast bus went viral. In response, M.P. Dinesh, CMD, KSRTC, said funds shortage had hit payment of dues to firms that supplied spares and tyres. “A part payment of dues was made earlier this month to procure tyres and to retread the worn-out ones. The funds crunch became acute since we had to clear a backlog of dues,” he said.
