Private buses in Kollam to stay off roads today

Around 650 private buses will stay off the roads on Wednesday as part of a token strike by the Private Bus Operators Association to protest the severe financial crisis due to a sharp decline in women passengers following the introduction of KSRTC’s Priyadarshini services.“Commuters have increasingly shifted to the KSRTC’s newly introduced Priyadarshini services, pushing the district’s private bus industry to the brink of collapse. Though we welcome the Priyadarshini initiative, we want the government to honor the assurance given by the Chief Minister during the Puthuyuga Yathra regarding the coexistence and survival of the private transport sector. On Wednesday we will hold a token strike, accompanied by a protest march and dharna,” said the association members at a press meet.To resolve the impasse, the operators have submitted a formal grievance to the Transport Minister alongside a set of proposals aimed at stabilizing the industry.Among the primary suggestions, the operators want the government to utilize its district-wise travel data on women passengers to rationally redistribute existing KSRTC ordinary buses. The association also addressed the government’s recent decision to halve the road tax for private buses, pointing out that this measure only yields a meager savings. To effectively counter the financial strain, the association has urged the government to supply diesel at a subsidized, rationed price by waiving the State tax levied on fuel consumed by operational private buses. Furthermore, they called for an immediate revision of student concession fares. “The ₹1 student minimum fare was fixed 15 years ago and we want the government to implement Justice Ramachandran Commission recommendation to raise the minimum student fare to ₹5,” they said. The operators also called for structural adjustments to KSRTC schedules in the district, recommending a reduction in the number of chain services operating from Kollam depots and insisting on a mandatory 10-minute gap between KSRTC services on the competitive Kottarakkara, Kollam, and Karunagappally routes. Published - July 07, 2026 07:21 pm IST