KSRTC's tom-tommings

text of the letter sent to Times of India:

I refer to the report captioned 'cash registers ring at KSRTC office' in your columns on the 10th Feb.

While doubtless the KSRTC (as well as the BMTC) services have improved considerably of late, comparing them against the services provided by the private players would be rather unfair, operating as these are on a playing field sloped totally against them. Now, almost all the private players are licensed as 'contract carriages', 'tourist carriages', etc ( but never as stage carriages - the term used in the RTO parlance for regular bus operations), which imposes all kinds of restrictions on them. If one were to abide by the rules framed thereunder, one can't make any money, and consequently, the rules are observed more in breach than compliance, by the 'mafioso' ( I would have liked to use a less incriminating word) who alone dare to venture into the fray. The mafioso know how to play the game, while simultaneously keeping the RTO and the various other government officials involved all very happy, as also the KSRTC trade unionists. The respectable business houses however refuse to enter into this minefield, making for a near monopoly scenario for the KSRTC, which they then tom-tom about making profits out of. The real test for KSRTC/ BMTC will be when thay have to compete against TATA's, TVS, etc, and, in today's liberalised world, there is absolutely no reason why the citizens should be denied the benefits deriving from effective competition on level a playing field involving such players.

Even as enormous benefits have resulted to everyone concerned out of reforms in so many other sectors, it is unfortunate that the government refuses to look at proper reforms in as key an infra-structure sector as the public bus transport services sector.