KOZHIKODE: The KSRTC canteens, which are avoided even by its employees now, would undergo a facelift soon. The Indian Coffee House (ICH), run by Indian Coffee Board Workers’ Co-operative Society, will take over the canteens at major bus stations across the state.
The first one would be opened at Angamaly on May 26 and the agreement for the second canteen at Thampanoor, Thiruvananthapuram, also has been signed.
It may be recalled that the governing board of KSRTC held in June last year had passed a resolution to give priority to ICH in running the canteens.
KSRTC Managing Director Antony Chacko told Deccan Chronicle that at present the KSRTC canteens lacked quality as well as cleanliness. “With the entry of ICH, we hope that by serving quality food for commuters as well as employees, even non-passengers would flock to the KSRTC canteens,” he added.
“We also aim at getting a brand boost as ICH has inculcated a ‘coffee shop’ culture in the state,” Mr Chacko said and added that there were many people in the cities who visit the ICH restaurants at least once in a day for brainstorming sessions on everything under the sun.
KSRTC Kozhikode zonal officer K. Mohammed Safarulla said that the corporation had asked the ICH to take over the canteens in Sulthan Bathery, Kannur and Kasargod.
They have evinced interest in Kozhikode but as the new bus terminal is constructed under BOT (Build Operate and Transfer) basis, it is up to the Kerala Transport Development Financial Corporation to decide on it. “Negotiations are on,” he added.
Meanwhile, ICH workers’ society secretary K. Anilkumar said that though the KSRTC had asked the ICH to take over the canteens, all canteens may not be taken over by the group.
“We would finalise the list only after assessing the financial viability and availability of workforce,” he added.
