KSRTC to begin special services for govt staff

Thiruvananthapuram:

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

will operate

special bus services

in all districts to cater only to government employees. The corporation has been operating services for

Secretariat

and

health department

employees during the

lockdown

and the same model will be replicated.

An order issued by K R Jyothilal, principal secretary, transport, directed KSRTC to operate bus services for employees at civil station, collectorate and High Court. As per government order, 50% of group A and B government staff and 33% of group C and D government staff have to report to duty. But, many are unable to report for duty due to unavailability of public transport.

The government has given directions to KSRTC to operate services as contract carriages with fare upto twice the stage carriage fare from the boarding point to destination. The government has directed KSRTC to finalize the route map in consultation with government offices.

KSRTC officials at Thiruvananthapuram are finalizing the route map, and services to Thiruvananthapuram civil station are proposed to start from Thursday. A bus service from Kottarakara to Kollam district collectorate will be operated from Monday to Friday. The service will start from Friday.

The services to Kasaragod collectorate will begin from Thursday, said C V Rajendran, head of north zone.

Transport minister hints at bus fare hike

Transport minister A K Saseendran said state government employees will have to shell out more for travelling in KSRTC buses during lockdown period.

The minister said it has also been decided to increase bus fare when public transport resumes in the state. The demand of the private bus owners is justifiable and the government will have to consider this. “However this increase will only be for a limited period,” he said.