KSRTC suspends recruitment, plans to give buses on contract to overcome COVID induced losses

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to suspend all fresh recruitments and is contemplating giving a large number of buses on casual contract to overcome financial losses, its chairman M Chandrappa said on Friday.

During a review meeting with the KSRTC officials, Chandrappa said there were 8,200 buses operating before the lockdown, which has reduced to 5,100 buses now.

“There are only 10 lakh passengers travelling in our buses daily as against 30 lakh passengers before lockdown,” Chandrappa said.

According to Chandrappa, the present situation of the corporation arising out of coronavirus induced lockdown is very critical and may take many months or years to improve.

Stating that there was an immense need to make some tough decisions, the corporation chairman said the KSRTC was suspending all forms of recruitment until further orders.

“There are plans to give the large number of buses under casual contract,” Chandrappa added.

He pointed out that profit was not the motive behind operating the Transport Corporation buses.

“However, the corporation has to take some stringent measures in order to survive.

Other than traffic revenue we have to mobilise other forms of revenues too,” the KSRTC chairman said.

Chandrappa thanked the state government for coming to the rescue during the crisis by funding the corporation for the salaries of the staff.