Citing loss of revenue, transport utility plans to file for review against Kerala High Court order banning advertisements on buses
Citing loss of revenue, transport utility plans to file for review against Kerala High Court order banning advertisements on buses
Even though the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) cites a potential revenue loss of ₹3 crore per month as the reason for its decision to file a petition for review against the Kerala High Court (HC) order prohibiting the displaying advertisements on the bus body, traffic safety experts point out the safety issues posed by such advertisements, which often include body wraps on almost the entire bus.
Joining the chorus are a section of private bus operators who allege double standards, as all tourist buses have recently been ordered to run only after all body graphics have been erased and their bodies repainted white with a golden yellow and purple stripe each.
Road safety expert CJ Johnson, who has written letters over the years to key central and state government stakeholders seeking to paint bicycles and public transport vehicles white or colors that are highly visible from afar in the obscurity, claims that advertisements loomed large. space on the sides and rear of the buses, even covering the KSRTC logo. This could distract other road users.
“Worse still, the entire body of the company’s countless low-floor Volvo buses is shrouded in advertisements, defeating the very purpose of the sleek orange paintwork the buses were originally supplied with. Advertisements painted or stuck on the body make the buses look very shabby, causing the buses to lose their unique identity over the years,” he says, welcoming the HC order which insists that all tourist buses must comply with the prescribed standardized color code. by the state government.
Even the logo is covered
Official sources say that permission was granted to stick advertisements on KSRTC buses based on the instructions issued by the agency’s real estate agent. “It is often difficult to remove the strong adhesive used to attach advertising to the bus body. Advertisements and packaging often cover the logo, with passengers complaining that they cannot recognize KSRTC low-floor buses. Buses will bring in more revenue than advertisements if they have proper destination signs and are better maintained,” he says.
After a high-speed tourist bus recently collided with a KSRTC high-speed bus in Vadakkenchery, resulting in the deaths of nine people, including five school children, social media was abuzz with visuals of countless KSRTC buses operating with malfunctioning brakes and lights. Many demanded that the company install LED lights on each side of all KSRTC buses, as in the case of KSRTC-Swift buses.
reward system
Former Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of KSRTC TP Senkumar, during which the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) low-floor buses were added to the company’s fleet, explains how he introduced a people reward system that notified the public transit service of malfunctioning lights and other safety requirements on KSRTC buses. “In addition, instructions have been given to drivers to drive buses with working lights and other equipment.”
KSRTC CMD Biju Prabhakar says a decision has not yet been made on the challenge to the HC order. State transport company (STU) buses could adorn advertisements, according to the rules. “It cannot be compared to the vulgar body graphics of tourist and private buses,” he adds.
