KSRTC plans to merge Mys urban, rural divisions

Mysuru: Mysuru rural and urban divisions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will be merged soon.
KSRTC chairman M Chandrappa, who on Monday held a meeting with the division officials here, said a decision to this effect will be taken after discussing the matter at a meeting of the board of directors and senior officials after the assembly bypolls.
“Around 2,000 employees are working in both the divisions. Excess staff will be redeployed where there is shortage after the completion of the merger process. The exercise will help the department save money,” he said, adding: “The divisions, with a collective fleet of 1,100 buses (700 in rural division), have suffered a loss of Rs 70 crore during the lockdown in the district. Across the state, KSRTC suffered Rs 1,600 crore loss. The transport corporation is now recovering the cost spent on diesel and other overheads through bus operations across the state.”
Chandrappa thanked chief minister B S Yediyurappa for releasing Rs 1,385 crore for paying salaries to 1.2 lakh employees.
“KSRTC will provide free bus passes to all registered construction workers across the state. The distribution will start in Mysuru district on a pilot basis, and this will benefit 61,111 workers in the district. Talks are on with labour department officials in this regard,” he said.
Depending on patronage, inter-state bus services to Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu will be resumed, he added.
Chandrappa said that Mysuru district will get 50 new buses soon. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has sanctioned these buses at no cost. “Instructions have been given to the department officials to utilise these new buses — on a priority — wherever there is a demand,” he said.
Speaking on coronavirus infection, Chandrappa said 47 employees, including drivers and conductors, have tested positive in Mysuru rural and urban divisions. Thirty of them have been cured, while three have died. The rest are undergoing treatment in the district, he added.