Private bus owners demand halt to Priyadarshini free‑travel in rush hour

Earlier this week, a group of private bus operators gathered at the Ernakulam Collectorate, clutching petitions and a palpable sense of frustration. They weren’t there for a routine meeting; they wanted the Kerala government to pull the plug on KSRTC’s Priyadarshini free‑travel scheme during the morning and evening rush hours.

The owners, representing fleets from Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Idukki and Kottayam, presented their case before an expert committee that the state formed to gauge the scheme’s impact on the private sector. Their argument was simple, if a little desperate: since the scheme’s rollout on August 15, their daily collections have nosedived, leaving many operators scrambling to cover basic expenses.

“We’re losing money, plain and simple,” said one representative, gesturing toward a ledger that showed a sharp decline in receipts. The 50 % tax concession the government announced, they argued, merely patches a hole that keeps getting bigger.

In a bid to make the free‑travel idea more palatable, the operators suggested a high‑tech workaround: installing biometric ticketing systems on their buses. The idea is that a passenger’s fingerprint could trigger a free‑ticket issuance, allowing the government to reimburse the operator for each ride, point‑by‑point.

But the list of demands didn’t stop at technology. The operators asked that student concession fares and regular ticket prices be reviewed immediately. They also called for the KSRTC’s rural services to be confined to interior routes where private buses don’t run, effectively reducing direct competition.

On the financial front, the pleas grew louder. They want diesel subsidies, a reduction of the 27 % sales tax on diesel, and a full waiver of the roughly ₹50,000 annual road tax that hits every private bus. Some even urged the state to lease private buses instead of buying new KSRTC ones, arguing it would ease the pressure on both sides.

Adding to the mix, the owners reminded the committee of a welfare fund set aside back in 1985. They asked for access to that pool, along with interest concessions on existing loans. And, as a modest, almost bureaucratic request, they wanted the mandatory staffing requirement cut from three crew members to two, hoping the change would lower their welfare fund liabilities.

All told, the meeting was a mixture of urgency, candidness, and a touch of hope that the government will listen. Whether the state will suspend Priyadarshini services during the peak hours, or negotiate a new support package, remains to be seen.