Karnataka needs a minimum of 35,000 buses: Ramalinga Reddy

Rs 500 crore had been allocated to the Regional Transport Corporations (RTCs) in the state budget earlier this year for the procurement of buses. On 19th August, the Transport Secretariat had directed the RTCs to provide a detailed enumeration of the necessity of new buses in their domains. 

The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) would be receiving a sum of Rs 150 crore whereas the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) would be receiving a sum of Rs 100 crore. 

“Procurement of new buses is a top priority. The RTCs will get more than 4,000 buses in the next few months,” Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said in an interaction with the Deccan Herald. Currently a total of 23,989 buses operate across the state and as per estimations of the Transport ministry in line with the requirements for the population, 35,000 buses would be needed in Karnataka. 

The detailed report enlisting the demands of the RTCs elucidates that the KSRTC is in need of 450 diesel BS-6 buses, 285 e-buses. The BMTC is in need of 921 e-buses, 840 BS-6 buses and 120 minibuses. The NWKRTC is in need of 1,000 diesel buses, 450 e-buses, 20 non-AC sleeper and 4 AC sleeper buses. The KKRTC is in need of 650 diesel and 150 e-buses.