TheKarnataka State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC) is a state-owned public road transport corporation company in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is wholly owned by theGovernment of Karnataka. It serves routes to 31 districts and as well as to towns and cities in the southern part of Karnataka and connects it to the rest of the state and the states ofTamil Nadu,Kerala,Telangana,Andhra Pradesh,Maharashtra,Goa and the Union territory ofPuducherry. In June 2021,Kerala State Road Transport Corporation KSRTC was awarded the acronymKSRTC by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trade Marks, which is part of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India when Kerala filed a case against Karnataka SRTC in response to a legal notice by the Karnataka SRTC to stop using the acronym KSRTC.[3][4] As of April 2024, it has a fleet strength of 8837 vehicles.[5]
Mysore Government Road Transport Department was inaugurated on 12 September 1948 with 120 buses.[1] The transport department of The Mysore state administrated it until 1961.
It was subsequently converted into an independent corporation under Section 3 of the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950 on 1 August 1961, In 1961, after successfully converting into an independent corporation all assets and liabilities of MGRTD were transferred to Mysore State Road Transport Corporation.[1]
On 15 August 2000,Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (then North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) was bifurcated to cater to the transportation needs of northeastern parts of Karnataka.[7][1][8] This left the corporation to serve the southern part of Karnataka.
On 23 November 2009, Bijapur division was transferred from NWKRTC to KKRTC.
Karnataka SarigeImage of KSRTC Sarige buses. Top one is Eicher and the bottom one is Ashok Leyland (Both are BSVI). Both images are taken from KSRTC's website. It is anon-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axleAshok Leyland,Tata andEicher suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of silver and red colours. It is an interdistrict, interstate service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Gramantara Sarige It is anon-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of blue and white colours. It is a service to connect villages to nearby cities and towns in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Nagara SarigeKSRTC Mysore Division'sNagara Sarige built on Tata Marcopolo chassis It is anon-AC bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher urban chassis with various liveries depending upon the locale. It is an intracity and town service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka) except for Bangalore.Bangalore Metropolitan Region is served byBangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
AC Nagara Sarige It is an AC bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on multi-axle Volvo urban chassis with various liveries depending upon the locale. It is an intracity and town service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka) except for Bangalore. Bangalore Metropolitan Region is served byBangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
Samparka Sarige It is anon-AC bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher with white-pink livery. It is a shuttle bus service betweenKempegowda Bus Station andMysuru Road Bus Station in Bangalore.
Ashwamedha Classic Class It is anon-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats with more comfort thanKarnataka Sarige built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of silver and red colours. It is an interdistrict, interstate point-to-point service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Rajahamsa Executive Class It is anon-AC ultra-deluxe bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Pallakki Class It is anon-AC ultra-deluxe bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on bi-axleAshok Leyland Viking 222WB 11.3m chassis with a silver livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Airavat ClassKSRTC's Airavat Class Launched in 2003, It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining semi-sleeper seats built on a bi-axleVolvo B7R (Old) orVolvo B8R (New) chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Airavat Club ClassKSRTC's Airavat Club ClassA Volvo 9400 B11R Airavat Club Class bus operated by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Launched in 2012, It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a multi-axleVolvo B9R (Old) orVolvo B11R (New),Scania Metrolink andMercedes-Benz 0 500 R 1830 chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).[9]
Airavat Club Class 2.0 Launched in 2024, It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats usingVolvo 9600 multi-axle semi-sleeper buses with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Flybus It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, and an auto hand wash system built on a multi-axle Volvo B9R (Old) or Volvo B11R (New) chassis with a golden livery. It is a service connectingKempegowda International Airport, Bangalore toMysore,Madikeri andKundapura.
Ambaari ClassKSRTC's Ambaari Class It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on a single-axle Corona chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
Ambaari Dream Class It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on a multi-axle Volvo B11R chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).[10]
Ambaari Utsav Class It is anAC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats on aVolvo 9600 multi-axle sleeper with a light-blue livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).[11]
Meghdooth Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a dark blue-white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was replaced withSheethal Class.
Sheethal Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a green livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was replaced withAiravat Class.
Vaibhav Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with less reclining compared toRajahamsa Executive Class built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.
Airavat Bliss Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, pantry and individual TV screens built on a multi-axle Volvo chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.[13]
Airavat Superia Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, and an auto hand wash system built on a multi-axle Volvo chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.[14]
Airavat Diamond Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a multi-axleScania chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was rebranded and merged withAiravat Club Class.[15]
Ticket from Mayohall to Shivajinagara Bus Station under Shakti Scheme on BMTC bus
'Shakti Scheme' was announced by theSecond Siddaramaiah ministry on 2 June 2023. It started on 11 June 2023, providing free-of-charge bus service to Karnataka-domiciled women. Beneficiaries show their government-issued photo identity and address proof for the first three months. Bus conductors issue them zero-fare tickets. Thereafter, beneficiaries obtain Shakti smartcards (named after the name of the scheme) through an application submitted via the government'sSeva Sindhu websiteArchived 2 October 2023 at theWayback Machine.[16]
The scheme will apply to all four Road Transport Corporations in the state (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC).
Nagara Sarige, Gramantara Sarige, Karnataka Sarige, Vayavya Nagara Sarige, Vayavya Gramantara Sarige, Vayavya Karnataka Sarige, Kalyana Nagara Sarige, Kalyana Gramantara Sarige, Kalyana Karnataka Sarige, Bengaluru Sarige, Samparka andAstra services will be part of the scheme.
Women can travel for free only on bus services within the state. Bus services to destinations outside Karnataka will be outside the scheme's purview even if women travel within the state. For example, a woman travelling toMangaluru inKarnataka i.e., within the state on an Udupi-Kasaragod bus service which is an interstate service toKasaragod in neighbouringKerala, will have to buy a ticket.
The scheme will not apply to luxury buses (Rajahamsa Executive Class, Airavat Class, Airavat Club Class, Pallakki Class, Amoghavarsha Class, Ambaari Class, Ambaari Dream Class, Ambaari Utsav Class, Kalyana Ratha Class, Fly Bus, EV- Power Plus+, Bengaluru Darshini, Vajra andVayu Vajra services).
Half of the seats on KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC's ordinary and express buses will be reserved for men. Luxury, AC and interstate buses as well as BMTC buses will be exempted from this.
The government will reimburse the RTCs based on the distance women travel.
Namma Cargo Logistics and Parcel Services was launched on 26 February 2021. It provides cargo and parcel services on the routes in which The KSRTC (Karnataka), NWKRTC and KKRTC buses travel.[17]
^abcde"KSRTC Key Statistics".Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation. January 2022. Archived fromthe original on 31 August 2023. Retrieved31 August 2023.
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