Kottayam: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is facing a hefty financial burden due to the high cost of renting ticket vending machines for its buses. This move has sparked concerns that it could plunge the Corporation into deeper financial trouble. These machines, manufactured in China, are being supplied to KSRTC by a company named 'Chalo'.

According to the contract between KSRTC and Chalo, the Corporation must pay Chalo approximately 15 paise (Rs. 0.149) per each ticket issued. Each machine can issue an average of 500 to 600 tickets per day, which translates to a daily payment of Rs. 74.50 per machine, or roughly Rs. 2,235 per month. Over the five-year contract period, and with a requirement for 5,500 machines, KSRTC will end up paying around Rs. 74 crore to Chalo.

In contrast, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has negotiated a much more economical deal. They pay only Rs. 644.28 per month for similar ticketing machines supplied by another private company. Over a five-year period, Karnataka’s transport corporation will spend just Rs. 21 crore—significantly less than Kerala's arrangement.

Furthermore, KSRTC is obligated to pay the full ticket rate to Chalo, even for concession tickets like half-tickets and goods tickets. Such terms do not apply in Karnataka, where machines are provided on a fixed monthly rental basis.

Interestingly, Tamil Nadu’s State Transport Corporation has a different approach. The ticketing machines in that state have been provided free of charge by the State Bank of India, though the daily revenue collected by the Corporation is transferred to the bank. The Corporation receives these funds only after three days.

Meanwhile, concerns are also being raised regarding the safety of Chinese-made machines. The KSRTC has already begun testing these machines in Thiruvananthapuram. These machines also support credit card payments and KSRTC-issued travel cards.