Overview
- The five-member expert committee led by K. Padmakumar submitted its report on Wednesday after hearings across Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode and asked the state to change Priyadarshini timings to lessen overlap with private services.
- The committee recommended declaring private stage-carriage services an industry so operators can access MSME loans, input tax credits and technical support to modernise fleets.
- As immediate operational fixes the report proposed a wet-lease model where KSRTC would run privately owned buses at fixed per-kilometre rates and set new scheduling rules to avoid route and timing clashes.
- It also asked for fiscal and regulatory relief including extending bus life from 22 to 25 years, allowing monthly vehicle-tax payments, access to KSRTC Yatra fuel at dealer rates, state-backed insurance options, and simpler online permit and advertising rules.
- Private owners told the committee they face daily losses of ₹1,500–₹6,000 on vulnerable stretches and that about 500 buses stopped running since the June 15 launch of Priyadarshini, and officials say some recommendations will need rule changes and multi-department coordination before they can take effect.