THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday clarified in the Assembly that the government cannot adopt a policy of withdrawing KSRTC buses from routes where private buses operate. His remarks came after Transport Minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar suggested that KSRTC should avoid competing directly with private operators.
The Chief Minister said such a move would create serious difficulties, noting that in Kerala, many roads are served by both KSRTC and private buses. He acknowledged the minister’s concern about unhealthy competition but stressed that KSRTC’s presence on common routes is essential.
Following the Chief Minister’s intervention, Ganesh Kumar revised his earlier statement, explaining that he did not mean KSRTC would vacate all routes. He clarified that KSRTC has achieved better collections by introducing services in areas underserved by private buses, particularly in hilly and rural regions.
Ganesh Kumar emphasised that KSRTC has been breaking private bus monopolies, citing higher revenues on long-distance routes such as Bengaluru services. He added that KSRTC is investing in new vehicles to strengthen its position and will not withdraw in favor of private operators.
Earlier, the minister had argued that KSRTC’s losses stemmed from its tendency to run directly ahead of private buses, leading to unhealthy competition. He said his first decision as minister was to stop such practices and instead expand services to remote areas, which has improved collections.