Kochi: The KSRTC will file an appeal against the order of the National Green Tribunal banning diesel vehicles over 10 years old in the major cities in Kerala which would force it to stop operation of 800 buses. “Out of the 6,241 buses in operation, 1,087 are over 10 years old. Of this, nearly 800 are being operated in the five cities where the ban will be implemented in a month’s time. We’ll file an appeal to get more time to avoid any immediate stalemate. We plan to redeploy the old buses in regions outside the five cities,” said a senior KSRTC official.
A high-level meeting is scheduled at the Thevara depot on Wednesday to take an official decision to file an appeal after it received the certified copy of the order issued by the special circuit bench of the NGT on Tuesday. “We’ll also write to the government to appeal against the order as our ordinary services, which benefit the middle classes, will be affected,” said Mr Antony Chacko, managing director.
The corporation is also in the process of purchasing another 1,350 buses after adding nearly 1,250 buses to its fleet in the past year. Meanwhile, the KSRTC’s plan to introduce CNG buses in Kochi city has hit a road block due to the non-availability of the compressed natural gas.
“We’re ready for converting the buses in the Kochi region to CNG. However, there is no fuel-dispensing unit. The LNG terminal at Vallarpadam doesn’t have a fuel dispensing unit for vehicles. We held talks with the IOC, which is entrusted with the city gas project, on providing CNG fuel in Ernakulam. However, no decision has been taken on the fuel unit,” the official said.
