33 SETC routes transferred to Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation
Posted on: 12/Nov/2018 11:59:58 AM
The latest update from SETC mentions the transfer of 17 SETC, State Express Transport Corporation routes to TNSTC Coimbatore division and other 16 SETC routes to Tirunelveli division of TNSTC. This can reduce the overall fares up to 15 percent said the sources of Tamil Nadu transportation body.
State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) with push back seater bus services for 33 routes including Rameswaram, Velankanni and other southern regions of Tamil Nadu are shifted to TNSTC platform. The transfer move was considered as the result of shortage of conductors in these routes of SETC. But government doesn’t back up this statements and claims the proposal of launching bus services with 36new routes to Kerala as the primary reason for the transfer of 33 routes to TNSTC.
A pact was signed with Kerala government with SETC introducing 36 new bus routes as a rational move to engage workers along the proposed routes. TNSTC buses will start to operate on full swing by the end of November said the sources of the transportation body.
Commuters are charged Rs 1 per km for ultra-deluxe services in SETC buses and 85 paise per km for super deluxe buses. The new rearrangements of TNSTC bus routes will bring down the fares between Coimbatore and Rameswaram (377 km) by `55 per ticket. In 2012 government allocated all routes above 300 km to SETC for better travelling experience for commuters. The buses had push back seats considered as a main comfort feature for long distant travel. Now the transfer of buses can reduce the fare as the transportation and maintenance cost of TNSTC is much lower when compared to SETC buses. TNSTC buses have more occupancy levels.
However the move was not well received by workers union. The transfer of buses was mainly planned to reduce SETC buses in order to benefit private omnibuses. The government’s decision discourages public transport being privatized.
