In a major move, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to revamp over 100 unprofitable services being operated in and around the district in the coming days.
All schedules which generate a daily collection less than Rs 0,000 will either be modified or extended to ensure maximum profitability. The timings of these services will also be changed accordingly.
At the same time, schedules which scrape less than Rs 3,000 may be completely withdrawn and instead used on more remunerative routes. The officials have also stated that most of the services operated on the request of the MLA/MP’s have been running on maximum losses. The decision to modify the routes comes in the wake of directives from the KSRTC Chief Office at Thiruvananthapuram seeking zonal officers to identify unprofitable routes in their jurisdiction.
Ernakulam ATO C K Radhakrishnan said a detailed list of the routes and several suggestions to improve the collections are being prepared. A meeting chaired by an officer with the Chief Office as well as the District Zonal Officer and union representatives is being held here.
Once the meeting concludes on December 12, a study report on the unprofitable routes as well as the alternatives suggested will be submitted to the Chief Office. After approval, all depots under the Ernakulam zone will implement the changes.
“Several suggestions made by the unions have been taken into consideration. They include the need to change the timings of the schedules. We have decided to operate more services during peak hours and cut down operations between 11.30 pm -3 pm. Instead, the morning and evening services will be extended in such a way that the public will benefit immensely. We are also thinking of operating more services during night hours,” Radhakrishnan added.
The officials are also considering withdrawal or modification of all unprofitable services being operated on the MLA routes. “We will not take into consideration whether the schedule is being operated at the request of an MLA or MP. If the route is not feasible, we will restrict the schedule to one trip and insteaddivert it to more feasible routes,” the officials at the zonal office said.
The Aroor-Brahmapuram-Infopark-Ernakulam, Ernakulam South- Paigatoor-Kolenchery, Muvattapuzha-Ernakulam,Aluva-Kadamakkudy, Aluva-Kizhakambalam, Ernakulam-Nellad, Aluva-Tripunithura, Muvattupuzha-Kakkanad, Vyttila- Perumbavoor, Kaloor-Ayavana, Aluva-Manjumel, Muvattupuzha-Vaikom, Pandapilly, Aluva-Kumbalam, Aluva-Varapuzha, Aluva-Mini Parur, Aluva-Tripunithura are few schedules which generate collection between Rs 7,000-Rs 10,000.
Schedules operated along Aluva-Fort Kochi, Aluva-Poothota and Aluva-Thevara generate less than Rs 6000 on a daily basis.