Kochi: The Kerala budget presented by Chief Minister V D Satheesan prominently featured the scheme offering free KSRTC bus travel for women, alongside efforts to revive the state's ailing public transport system and introduce structural tax reforms in the sector.
Historic Tax Concession for Private Buses
In a first for the state's private transport sector, which has suffered steep operational losses for decades, the government announced a massive 50% concession on quarterly motor vehicle taxes for stage carriage buses. Industry bodies warmly welcomed this move.
Transport sector expert P Krishnakumar said, "This is the first time a government is slashing tax to prop up the private bus sector, which also forms a key part of public transportation. It also aims to continue the free travel for women in KSRTC buses. These measures will result in more commuters shifting to public transport."
Curbing Interstate Vehicle Registrations
To curb the rampant practice of vehicle registrations in neighboring states, the budget slashes quarterly tax rates for all India tourist permit (AITP) luxury buses by over 50%.
Boost for Logistics and Freight
Logistics and freight transport also received a significant boost. The additional tax slab that heavily penalized trailer vehicles weighing more than 20 tonnes has been eliminated.
Free Travel for Women
The highlight of the budget's welfare agenda is the Rs 600 crore allocation to fund free travel for women on KSRTC buses under the Indira Gandhi welfare scheme.
Urban Transport Overhaul
Urban centers are set for a major overhaul via the urban challenge fund. The government will set up Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities (UMTA) in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode to institutionalize smart transit planning, while aggressively modernizing the existing UMTA framework in Kochi. This urban push is backed by a Rs 20 crore earmarked fund to fast-track light Metro projects in Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode.
Transport expert G P Hari, who earlier served in the urban transport wing of Kochi Metro, said, "It is a matter for debate whether we should invest heavily in Metro projects in cities like Thiruvananthapuram. Instead, a dedicated bus corridor or tram would have been more suited. We have seen issues with Kochi Metro earlier, which is incurring a loss of Rs 1.1 crore per day in absolute terms."
