Kochi: Despite having five regional workshops, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has given a contract to bus manufacturer ‘Ashok Leyland’ for body building works as it aims to roll out 100 new buses by December-end. The development has increased fear of further lay-offs of mechanical staff employed at its own workshops at Thiruvananthapuram Central, Mavelikkara, Aluva, Edapal and Kozhikode.
“The decision was taken as it is expected to cost less and we’re also aiming to deploy new buses in the minimum possible time. The work of the 100 chassis has already started and we expect the first of the lot to be rolled out by the end of December,” said a senior KSRTC official. In June last, KSRTC terminated the services of 206 empanelled workers in four workshops as part of austerity measures. They comprised 55 empanelled workers of Mavelikkara, 64 of Aluva, 52 of Edappal and 35 of Kozhikode workshops.
The action was based on the report of professor Sushil Khanna of IIM Kolkata who was appointed by the state government to restructure KSRTC. Earlier this month, KSRTC had wet-leased luxury buses from Swedish automobile giant Scania to be deployed in inter-state routes. The first lot of the 25 buses was delivered with the company also providing drivers. The corporation needs to deploy conductors only.
