Thiruvananthapuram: As part of reviving the sagging fortunes, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation KSRTC has entered into an agreement with Delhi Integrated Multi- Modal Transit System (DIMTS) to professionalise the functioning of the corporation and improve the efficiency of its bus services. The KSRTC is also planning to enforce strict time schedules for bus services as part of attracting train passengers to its buses.

The DIMTS is a special purpose vehicle that coordinates public transport systems in cities like Delhi. The DIMTS runs on hire almost 350 private buses in Delhi.

The DIMTS will appoint four professionals, who are having more than 20 years of experience in the fields of traffic, service operation, IT and data analysis, in the KSRTC. Their total monthly remuneration will be Rs 15 lakh. The daily operations of the KSRTC will be supervised by them. A team of experts picked from the KSRTC will be given training under them. Besides, the KSRTC will appoint a chartered accountant, an internal auditor and a cost accountant.

The Sushil Khanna Report, which looked into the problems facing the KSRTC, had earlier suggested that those having professional competence should be appointed at the top level of the KSRTC. Though the KSRTC had given advertisement for roping in such talents, it did not get the required hands. The new move is to overcome this difficulty.

Non-stop bypass rider to hit roads soon
KSRTC MD Biju Prabhakar has directed the officials to begin non-stop bypass rider service soon along with the existing bus services that do not enter KSRTC depots in busy towns. The non-stop bypass rider services will begin by December 15.

The plan is to run a non-stop service if around 40 persons have booked tickets to Ernakulam from Thiruvananthapuram. As per the plan, it will take only two hours for the Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam trip and three-and-a-half hours for Kochi-Kozhikode trip. The low floor, AC and deluxe buses will be used for this service.