Palakkad: Private bus operators have voiced strong opposition to the United Democratic Front's (UDF) proposed 'Indira Guarantee' scheme, which promises free travel for women on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses. The operators warn that this move would plunge the private transport sector into a major crisis and adversely affect lakhs of workers.
Operators demand discussions before implementation
All Kerala Bus Operators Organization state general secretary T Gopinathan stated that the government should hold discussions with private operators before implementing the scheme. He alleged that a similar free travel scheme introduced in Karnataka had severely impacted private bus owners there. 'Many bus owners who invested Rs 30-40 lakh in vehicles are now forced to sell them for Rs 10-15 lakh. The government must consider the future of private operators and workers in the sector,' he said.
Private buses carry more passengers during peak hours
According to the organization, KSRTC operates around 3,500 buses, while nearly 9,000 private buses are running across the state. They claimed that private buses carry more passengers during peak hours and that women constitute a major share of daily passengers. 'Of the more than one lakh passengers travelling daily in private buses, around 70,000 are women. The remaining passengers are mostly students travelling on concessional fares. If women are given free travel in KSRTC buses, entire families will shift to KSRTC services, affecting private bus operations further,' Gopinathan added.
The organization warned that private buses would become financially unviable if the scheme is implemented without safeguards for the sector. Rising fuel prices and operational expenses have already placed the industry under severe pressure, they added. Bus operators also alleged that political parties announce such welfare promises for electoral gains without assessing their impact on existing public transport operators. They demanded that the government announce a special package for the private bus sector if the free travel scheme is introduced.
