T’puram: The govt is committed to ensuring the survival of the private bus sector in Keralam and is ready to take private buses on lease and operate them through KSRTC, transport minister C P John told the assembly on Friday.Replying to a calling attention motion raised by MLA N K Akbar, the minister said the govt had no intention of abandoning private bus operators. He added that the financial crisis in the sector had begun during the Covid-19 pandemic and could not be attributed solely to the Priyadarshini free travel scheme.“The number of private buses in the state declined from 19,000 to 13,000 during the Covid period. The main issue then was taxation, which this govt reduced by 50% after assuming office,” John said.He stressed that public transport services in Kerala should not be weakened by competition between private operators and KSRTC.The minister acknowledged that women passengers opting for the Priyadarshini scheme was one of the factors contributing to the difficulties faced by private bus operators but said it was not the sole reason for the crisis.John said the Padmakumar commission had studied the problems faced by the private bus sector. Govt expects the implementation of the commission’s recommendations to help resolve the issues confronting operators.He also said KSRTC was willing to take private buses on a wet-lease basis, paying a fixed rate per kilometre and operating the services.Acknowledging concerns among some private bus operators about delays in receiving payments from KSRTC, the minister assured them that they need not worry about the issue.“The public transport system in Keralam can move forward strongly only by accommodating the private bus sector as well,” he said.The opposition also questioned whether ordinary KSRTC buses had been converted into City Fast services under the pretext of introducing free travel for women.Denying the allegation, John said he did not know how such a misunderstanding had arisen.
