Albin Prince John is a frequent traveler from Bangalore to Bathery. Onve he booked a ticket for 11:45 pm Bangalore-Calicut Super Deluxe Air bus via Sulthan Bathery - with Muthanga night Permit to Bathery.
It was an Ashok Leyland – KKD – Old bus. The bus was fully packed. It was displaying a board which says “Mysore-Mananthavady-Calicut ” instead of “Mysore-Sulthan Bathery-Calicut”. When asked they covered those words with newspaper.
@ 1:30am. Diesel leak from plunger pump – Breakdown near Mandya.
Waited for next bus – Then came another Super Deluxe Air bus to Nilambur. Luckily only 3 passengers. So only 3 of us had to stand. Reached Mysore Bus stand and tat bus left.
KSRTC arranged a bus for us at around 3am – A super express which had a scheduled departure after 5 am. TATA bus. Muthanga Permit given to new bus. All of us got seats.
3:40am – after Nanjanagud. Some sound heard from bonnet. Air pressure falls from brake circuits and it was not building up when throttle was given. Result : BS-III Vehicle stopped automatically and they said they will send another bus. Previous Nilambur Semisleeper passed us with 1 passenger. They stopped for a while – but lack of “crisis time policies” made them leave.
KSRTC should have arranged a Taxi to that single passenger and gave us that Semisleeper bus instead of providing buses with less fare.
Next bus came – this time a Super-Fast. Ashok Leyland. Muthanga Permit again re-allotted, all got seats and we somehow reached Sulthan Bathery at 6 am. Dont know whether KSRTC SBY provided any Semisleeper / agreed not to take any new passenger to compensate time / agreed to provide compensation.
Am basically a tamilian loved ksrtc's speed, but now days not they showing any interest on premium buses and not replacing it super deluxe busses. They not even consider about its patronage also. For eg: Ernakulm Tirupur bus going empty after Coimbatore. Since it is time peak time when it goes to Tirupur at the time all the Tirupur busses goes fully packed with 10 to 15 standees, they never goes to Coimbatore central bus stand for picking passenger. so lethorgic attitude of ksrtc. atleast SETC is taking some initiative to resume some newly services and planning to operate multiaxle volvo busses in Chennai-Cbe and Chennai-madurai route. wake up KSRTC.