KOCHI: As many as 39 items, including common electronic items like mobile phone and laptop, have been included in the list of prohibited items in the KSRTC courier service after the corporation recently entrusted the operations to an Andhra Pradesh-based company.
Though consumers argue that there is no logic in prohibiting such items, KSRTC has said that the changes are part of heightened safety measures and an effort to prevent fraudulent practices. “The changes are being incorporated as part of a new software being introduced to manage courier operations, based on the requirements put forth by the company,” a senior KSRTC official said.
Singhu Solutions is also running the courier service of APSRTC, which enjoys an annual turnover of Rs 200 crore from the service.
Launched in mid-2023, the KSRTC courier operations were fully managed by the state entity until a couple of months ago. The venture turned highly profitable as the corporation promised delivery anywhere in Kerala within 16 hours. There was no restriction on couriering items, though the management stopped accepting perishable goods like fish and vegetables after some time.
“While we agree with the inclusion of many of the prohibited, there’s little logic in avoiding laptops and mobile phones. Many, especially those working in IT hubs like Infopark, depended on the fast service to retrieve such items that are at times left behind,” rued Raghunandan R, a techie working at Infopark and a native of Thodupuzha.
Unlike in the past, the new software now mandates that customers provide details like the item’s value and sign documents at the counter. Recipients must also produce proper identity cards, with an additional option for staff to photograph them to prevent fraud.
The official noted that the ban on mobile phones was specifically included after it came to their attention that the service was being used to ship imported items, such as iPhones from Dubai, to evade GST. If formal complaints are received regarding the ban on items like laptops, the corporation would pursue the matter with the AP-based company, he said.
KSRTC eyeing rise in revenue
Meanwhile, sources indicated that the revenue from the courier service has witnessed a fall since the handover, but KSRTC authorities remain confident in a rebound within three to six months. They attribute the initial decline to the company’s inexperience in the region.
The corporation is eyeing a three-fold increase in revenue overall from the parcel and courier venture by entrusting the operations to the private party. Currently, the service generates an average monthly revenue of I50 lakh, with the Vyttila Mobility Hub counter being the top performer at I30 lakh per month.
The corporation pays a commission of 19.85% to Singhu Solutions, which remits the entire revenue to the former. “We previously spent 35 to 40% of the revenue on expenses, including staff salaries. Now, the new company will be responsible for meeting all those expenses. To ensure accountability, the contractor faces penalties of I50 for misdirected parcels and I500 plus the item’s shipment value for damaged or missing parcels,” the official said.
As part of its plan to increase efficiency and revenue, Singhu Solutions aims to introduce pick-up and door-delivery services, a long-standing customer demand. Initially, they plan to make deliveries within a 10-km radius of the collection centres. The KSRTC, which currently has 46 dedicated parcel counters in the state and an outstation centre in Coimbatore, also has plans to expand the service by starting courier counters in Karnataka.
