KSRTC Chamarajanagara division on road to recovery from losses

Chamarajanagar: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation's (KSRTC) Chamarajanagar division has recorded profit for the first time post Covid.

In November 2019, the corporation had reported a loss of Rs 75 lakh. After resuming services after the Covid first wave in early 2020, there was a significant decrease in the corporation's revenue. Its ride was not smooth for a year and a half because of lockdown, Covid second wave and staff strike.

Even after the second wave ebbed, the occupancy rate in buses dropped significantly for two to three months. KSRTC officials say that the corporation registered profits only in November.

Before the outbreak of the Covid scourge, the Chamarajanagar division was collecting Rs 55 lakh to Rs 60 lakh every day.

KSRTC divisional controller B Srinivasa told The Hans India that 460 of the total 509 fleet of buses in the division are being operated currently.

The maintenance cost of the entire segment amounts to Rs16 crore per month. If Rs 60 lakh is collected every day, the total income would be far more than the expenditure by the end of the month. In November this year, the average revenue per day was Rs 55 lakh. He said there were a lot of festivities in the month including Diwali, Kartika Masam, marriages, housewarming ceremonies. As a result, the passenger traffic was high. During the Karthika Jatra of Male Mahadeshwara Hills, a revenue of Rs 75 lakh was recorded.

Officials said the daily revenue continued to increase as more and more students have started using buses as schools and colleges have started.

September was particularly bad for the corporation as it incurred a loss of Rs 5 crore. October brought some respite as the loss came down to Rs 2 crore and November heralded good news as the corporation made a profit of Rs 30 lakh. During the first week of December there was a slight drop in the passenger occupancy rate. The daily collection also dropped to Rs 50 lakhs, said Srinivasa.

With private buses staying off the roads in the district even after lifting of the lockdown, KSRTC has a chance to beat the losses and get on the road to profits.

He said there is good response to its services on new routs in rural areas.