The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is set to roll out 18 air-conditioned multi-axle Scania Metrolink buses procured from the Swedish automobile giant for Rs.19.55 crore. Two of these luxury buses have commenced service from Alappuzha to Bengaluru in place of the Volvo buses that needed urgent repairs.
Model code
As the model code of conduct is in place for the Assembly elections, the KSRTC is facing hurdles in launching services to Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Mookambika, Coimbatore and Kannur as planned.
The other routes for operation are being finalised. The State transport undertaking that is on the path of recovery decided to go for the Scania buses following a three-month trial operations on the Thiruvananthapuram-Sulthan Bathery-Bengaluru route and as it found the price offered, Rs.99.56 lakh, attractive.
‘‘The KSRTC could save Rs.1.8 crore by purchasing Scania. Volvo offered buses for Rs.1.11 crore in the bids floated,’’ Chairman and Managing Director, KSRTC, Antony Chacko, told The Hindu . The buses have been lying in the KSRTC Staff Training Centre at Attakulangara here since March 28.
The Transport Department granted 15 exemptions, needed to register them as stage carriers, on April 11. The exemptions were sought for operating the buses as single-door vehicles and to dispense with the need for a separate cabin for the driver. By April 16, all the formalities were completed. The KSRTC has not settled the bill till date.
Developed and engineered exclusively for Indian conditions, one of the unique features of the bus is the hydraulically steered tag axle. The bus is 13.7 m long and 2.6 m wide with a height of 3.7 m and has reclining seats with footrest and calf support, radio and TV in front and middle.
The luxury buses, with the brand name Garuda Maharaja, also offer good safety features. Fleet Management Service (FMS) will monitor performance of the vehicle and the driver to improve productivity and safety.
All windows can be used as emergency exits. High Definition IP camera with night vision is installed for recording inside visuals to ensure safety of women and to prevent theft. The KSRTC will train 80 drivers to handle the buses. The new buses will be serviced at private service stations at Erumaloor, Kozhikode, and in the capital.
‘‘We will set up an exclusive workshop on the KSRTC premises later,’’ Mr. Chacko said.
