Burnt KSRTC bus on display highlights damage to infra

In an initiative aimed at spreading awareness on the importance of the public property, the KSRTC has placed on display a bus which was burnt by miscreants during the recent protests against the arrest of Congress leader D K Shivakumar.

Strikes and bandhs have cost more than Rs 20 crore for Karnataka Road Transport Corporation Limited (KSRTC) in the last three years apart from the Rs 78 lakh loss due to burning of buses or stone-throwing.

The bus with half of its frame charred has been put on display at Kempegowda Bus Station in Majestic calls with messages on its body calling upon the public not to damage public property.

"I belong to you and carry lakhs of passengers every day. You need to protect me. Instead, you stone me, burn me... For what fault of mine," the message asks.

Government buses carry over 1.25 crore people every day. KSRTC, which runs more than 9000 schedules everyday, has been reeling under losses ever since the diesel prices went up last year. The additional losses caused by strikes and bandhs have further hurt the organisation.

Officials said the loss of revenue caused by the suspension of services has been increasing steadily over the years. However, it jumped from Rs 3.97 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 13.16 crore in 2018-19, as multiple issues forced the corporation to pull the buses off the roads.

Running services in such times has come as a costly affair for KSRTC as its buses have become easy targets during protests and strikes which turn violent. Five buses were burnt in the last three years and 244 suffered serious damages together leading to losses of Rs 78 lakh.