By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This is the story of a stirringly remarkable turnaround effected by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), demonized as a white elephant and a drag on Kerala’s economy.
Time was – just 10 years ago – when KSRTC found itself a butt of ridicule and the staple of detractors’ sick jokes. The crux of their criticism was that the KSRTC is beyond redemption and should be given a decent ‘burial’.
But those days of despair are over. The Corporation has silenced congenital cynics and carping critics with an unbelievably remarkable turnaround. From being a perpetually loss-making enterprise, the KSRTC has transformed itself into a profit-making undertaking. So splendid is its performance that other State road transport corporations will do well to take a leaf out of the KSRTC’s book.
The stirring saga has been scripted by a team headed by Transport Minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar, who is endowed with the Midas touch. No word of prize will be too high to describe the manner in which he accomplished the fabulous feat with the able assistance of a team of dedicated professionals and committed employees. The Minister went gaga over the achievement. He has every reason to do so. Rightly, Ganesh Kumar thanked his team and had a special word of praise for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who, he said, gave him full support to his endeavour undertaken under difficult conditions and fighting against heavy odds.
No wonder, Malayalam cinema’s megastar Mohanlal readily agreed to act as the ‘goodwill ambassador’’ of the KSRTC without charging a single rupee. His service is totally free, and he has agreed to act in advertisements for the KSRTC. The Corporation is planning to shoot a few ads featuring Mohanlal for the KSFRTC, making use of the services of talented directors, said the Minister beaming with pride.
The Corporation also set a new record in ticket collection on Monday, January 5, 2026 by netting a total of Rs 12.18 crore from ticket revenue. As many as 4,952 buses accounted for this collection. If other commercial incomes are counted, including revenue from shops rented out in buildings owned by the Corporation and income from petrol pumps, the total revenue on Monday is Rs 13 crore, gushed the Minister.
It needs to be mentioned that the turnaround became visible and most pronounced in September 2025 when the KSRTC posted a record collection of Rs 10.19 crore, which went up further to Rs 10.76 crore in December. The Minister attributed the record collection to a few minor changes in the operation of the buses.
It is heartening to note that, in the meantime, KSRTC’s Budget Tourism Cell scaled a new peak of excellence in December, registering a record revenue of Rs 5.51 crore in a single month. Officials have it that this is the highest monthly income from the project since its launch in 2021, surpassing the previous record of Rs 4. 5 crore set in December 2024. A combination of attractively priced packages and a strong response from travellers made this possible.
Last but not the least has been the heartwarming and enthusiastic public participation, which was the key factor behind the KSRTC’s brilliant bounceback from the depths of despair to the Everest of ecstasy. According to State coordinator of the Budget Tourism Cell R. Sunil Kumar, the rise in revenue was due to the new travel packages rolled out under the initiative in anticipation of the winter mist and the holiday rush during December and January. A large number of tourists are making a beeline to popular destinations in Tamil Nadu as well, including Meghamalai, Ootty, Kodaikanal, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari, thanks to innovative tour packages.
Another feather in the State’s cap has been the fulsome praise lavished by none other than NITI Aayog, which recognized the Left Democratic Front Government’s LIFE (Livelihood, Inclusion and Financial Empowerment) Mission as one of the best practices in affordable housing in the country.
It must be mentioned that the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Congress had launched a vicious and vituperative campaign against the Mission. UDF convener at that time M. M. Hassan went to the extent of croaking that if the UDF came to power, it would close the Mission!
The latest NITI Aayog report describes LIFE Mission as a “multi-faceted convergence and community-based model”. It effectively brings together, the report added, resources of various departments and local self-governments institution to address the housing needs of the poor.
Minister for Local Self-Governments M. B. Rajesh said that the State has already completed 4,76,076 houses under the scheme. Construction of another 1,24,471 houses is currently underway. The Minister expressed confidence that five lakh houses will be completed by February this year. Referring to the financial assistance provided under the scheme, Rajesh said LIFE Mission provides the highest housing assistance in the country. The State offers Rs four lakh per house, and for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries, the assistance is Rs six lakh.
The Kerala Government is also considering effecting some innovative changes which will lessen the burden of students in the State who now have to trudge to school burdened with heavy school bags from the next academic year.
Among the suggestions made in the draft guidelines prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) are school bags which are not too large and come with padded shoulder straps, changes in curriculum and timetable, and lockers in schools to store books. (IPA Service)
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