The Hindu : Karnataka News : KSRTC to launch `anywhere booking' facility soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 31, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

KSRTC to launch `anywhere booking' facility soon

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, DEC. 30. Bus travellers will soon be able to book tickets from one place to any "major town" in the State like the rail passengers. This follows the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation proposal to build a networked advance reservation system linking all major towns in the State to its computerised reservation system.

This was stated in a statement released today by the Managing Director of KSRTC, M.R. Sreenivasa Murthy, at a function in which the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, launched the operation of 52 new-look buses as part of the programme of the KSRTC to add 1,000 buses to its fleet by June, 2005.

He also flagged off 10 buses of the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), which has its headquarters in Hubli. The statement claimed that the KSRTC will be the first State-owned transport undertaking in the country to have such an extensive advance reservation system.

The KSRTC's proposed reservation facility will not be limited to its jurisdiction.

Ticketing machines

The statement said that electronic ticketing machines will be introduced in all the buses by June 2005.

This will reduce delay in issue of tickets and help the transport corporations calculate profits with greater accuracy, besides plugging pilferage.

The KSRTC earned Rs. 32.74 crores in 2002-03 and Rs. 32.74 crores in 2003-04. The machines have been introduced in one division already.

Infrastructure

The statement said that KSRTC has a Rs. 200-crore plan to improve the infrastructure at Bangalore and Mysore bus stations and all the taluk level and Hobli-level bus stations during the next two years.

The vehicles added today to the KSRTC and NWRTC fleet included 36-seater air-conditioned Mayura buses (built at a cost of Rs. 23.2 lakhs each), 35-seater Rajahamsa buses (Rs. 14.83 lakhs each), 45-seater semi-deluxe buses (Rs. 12.92 lakhs each), 55-seater Karnataka Sarige buses (12.55 lakhs each), 43-seater city buses (Rs. 11.33 lakhs), and Grameena Saarige mini buses (Rs. 8.03 lakhs).

The new buses come in pleasing colours.

The Mayura and Rajahamsa buses are equipped with music systems.

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