Private Keralam bus operators threaten strike over KSRTC Priyadarshini scheme
Private bus operators in Keralam are warning of an indefinite statewide strike, saying the KSRTC's Priyadarshini scheme, which lets women ride ordinary busses for free, has hit their earnings hard.
The All Kerala Bus Operators Association (AKBOA) feels the expert committee's recommendations don't really help, and they're considering a strike if things don't change.
AKBOA demands diesel subsidy ₹15 fare
The expert panel suggested longer bus lifespans and recognizing private busses as an industry, but AKBOA says that misses the point.
They're pushing for diesel subsidies, a zero-ticketing system for women on private busses too, higher student fares, and a minimum ticket price hike to ₹15.
T. Gopinathan, general secretary of AKBOA, said, "The recommendations in the expert committee report, which studied the situation following the implementation of the Priyadarshini scheme, are inadequate for private bus owners to sustain their business."
The final call on striking will be made at their meeting on September 8, 2026.