Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 16 Keralam Transport Minister C P John on Friday said that the government was committed to protecting the private bus sector and was ready to lease buses to operate services through the state’s public carrier KSRTC.
Replying to a calling attention motion moved by MLA N K Akbar in the Assembly, John said the government had no intention of abandoning private bus operators amid the challenges faced by the sector.
He said the crisis in the private bus sector had begun during the Covid-19 pandemic and was not caused by the introduction of the government’s Priyadarshini scheme, which provides free travel for women.
The number of private buses in the state had declined from 19,000 to 13,000 since the pandemic period, he said, adding that taxation was a major concern at the time and the present government had reduced the tax burden by 50 per cent.
The minister said private buses were facing difficulties mainly in areas where the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) operated a large number of services, while the situation was not problematic elsewhere.
The Priyadarshini scheme was only one of the factors contributing to the difficulties faced by private bus operators, he said.
John said the government-appointed Padmakumar Commission had studied the problems faced by the private bus sector by visiting all districts and submitted a report.
The government expects that the implementation of its recommendations would help resolve the issues, he added.
The KSRTC was ready to take private buses on a wet-lease basis and operate them by paying a fixed rate per kilometre, the minister said.
Addressing concerns among private bus owners over delays in payments from the KSRTC, John said there was no need for apprehension.
The state’s public transport system could remain strong only by accommodating the interests of private bus operators alongside the KSRTC, he added.
(PTI News)
