It was a ‘black Thursday’ for the State-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) with the ghastly accident in Coimbatore claiming the lives of 19 people.
The accident, one of the worst in the history of KSRTC, took place on the 82nd anniversary of the launch of the State motor service. The ruler of the erstwhile Travancore, Sree Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma had launched the service on February 20, 1938, soon after setting up the Travancore State Transport Department (TSTD).
Consequent on the enactment of Road Transports Corporation Act in 1950, the government formulated KSRTC rules in 1965 and the TSTD was converted into an autonomous Corporation on April 1, 1965.
The KSRTC will also miss the services of the driver and conductor who died in the accident.
The commuters and the KSRTC personnel fondly remember the services of Gireesh and Baiju, especially their heart warming efforts to save the life of a patient on board the bus that was coming from Bengalaru.
The then KSRTC CMD, Tomin J. Thachankary, in a letter, had praised the duo for their action that elevated the image of transport undertaking.
