The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) long distance bus operations that resumed partially in the State on Wednesday after 61 days evoked poor response from the commuters.
Although the KSRTC was prepared to operate 50 long distance buses on the maiden day, it was able to run only 43 due to poor patronage. In the south zone based in Thiruvananthapuram, the KSRTC operated 18 long distance buses, 12 from the Central zone at Ernakulam zone, and 12 in the north zone based at Kozhikode.
This is in addition to the Buses on Demand (BoND) services and ordinary special services being operated for hospital staff and teachers attending valuation camps of the SSLC and Plus Two examinations. In all, 154 buses were operated from the south zone with buses proceeding from here to Kozhikode and Palakkad.
“We operated Super Fast services from Thiruvananthapuram and Super Deluxe services are on the way from the north zone to the capital. The demand from the commuters was less than what we anticipated. Only 15 to 20 commuters were seen in these buses,” sources in KSRTC said.
The services were along the National Highway, State Highways, and MC Road corridors, following the COVID protocols issued by the government. Travellers were carried only on the sanctioned seats. Long distance services will be available on the night also till Friday this week.
