The suspension of KSRTC bus services for nearly two months in Vijayapura district has caused heavy monetary loss to the transport corporation.
According to officials, they have assessed a total loss of ₹ 46.75 crore in the last nearly two months when lockdown was imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The officials said that over 700 buses operated from the Central Bus Stand here.
The transport corporation’s daily earnings used to be ₹ 85 lakh. But after the imposition of lockdown, this has completely stopped.
The district has 3,300 KSRTC staff, including drivers and conductors. After the government resuming bus services, nearly 1,000 employees are back to work. However, in view of health precautions, all those employees who are aged 55 and above have been asked to stay home and not come to work till further order.
However, those who wish to volunteer and join service will be allowed to do so.
As the government has ordered buses to be operated only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., all buses covering a distance of 200 km will return the same day. However, those travelling 250 km and beyond will stay overnight at the destination and return only the next day.
The corporation though has incurred heavy loss owing to lockdown, the officials believe that lockdown was essential to save the lives of people and break the chain of infection.
