Luxury buses are going cheap in Kerala as business goes downhill
Many owners make for exit amid pandemic, selling off idled vehicles by weight
After two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, luxury bus owners in Kerala who are represented by the Contract Carriage Owners Association (CCOA) are in dire straits. An anguished owner in Kochi yesterday hit the headlines when he came out with his decision to sell his 10 luxury buses at Rs45 (Dh2.1) for a kilo.
Things have been tough for Kochi resident Royson Joseph. Prior to the pandemic, he had 20 buses. Now, after two years, he is left with 10.
“Things have become tough and me and my family are finding the situation tough. All my buses have taxes to the tune of Rs44,000 and insurance of around Rs88,000. Last week when the lockdown was there, even when the rules clearly stipulated that prior booked travel is possible, I was asked to pay a fine of Rs2,000 by the police during a tourist trip to Kovalam. We are being harassed for no reason. Today, at the click of a button, if the vehicle registration number is punched in by authorities, they can get if our papers are in order, but despite all that, we are being fleeced,” Joseph said.
CCOA president Binu John said this is not the first time that tourist buses were being sold at a per-kilogram rate.
“Many have done it, but they did not want to make a news out of shame. Joseph was very frank and his travails are the same in the industry here and bus owners are in deep trouble as none of the restructuring, moratorium announcements have come full steam for various reasons,” said John. The CCOA has 3,500 members across Kerala who own around 14,000 buses.
“After the restrictions were lifted, around 2,000 buses of our members have been confiscated for non-payment of monthly instalments,” added John. A 40-seater luxury bus costs over Rs5 million and for breaking even under normal circumstances it has to get at least around 20 trips a month. Covid-19 has meant there are five trips a month for most.
A 40-seater luxury bus costs over Rs5 million. For breaking even under normal circumstances, it has to get at least 20 trips a month. Covid-19 has meant there are hardly 5 trips for most.