With demand for Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) Sarige buses witnessing a sharp rise, particularly in rural regions and on inter-city routes after the implementation of the State government’s Shakti scheme, the corporation has floated a tender to procure 400 new fully built BS-VI diesel mofussil buses recently.

According to the officials, the corporation plans to procure 400 fully built BS-VI diesel mofussil buses. The estimated tender value has been fixed at ₹160 crore, and the selected supplier will have to complete delivery within four months.

Senior KSRTC officials said that the additional buses are being planned in response to the increasing passenger load seen after the launch of the Shakti scheme, which offers free bus travel for women in ordinary and express services operated by State-run transport corporations.

“Passenger occupancy in Sarige services has increased significantly over the last two years. Rural and semi-urban routes are witnessing consistently high ridership, and there is also a need to strengthen inter-city connectivity. The procurement of 400 additional buses is part of our fleet augmentation plan,” a senior KSRTC official said.

The officials added that many existing buses in the fleet are ageing and require replacement. “Apart from introducing buses on high-demand routes, this procurement will also help phase out older vehicles that have crossed their operational life,” they added.

As part of the technical requirements, the KSRTC has specified that the buses should be fully built BS-VI diesel mofussil one complying with AIS-052 and AIS-153 standards. The buses will also be equipped with Vehicle Location Tracking (VLT) devices and panic buttons integrated with the State monitoring system.

The corporation has also laid down strict warranty and fuel efficiency norms. The successful bidder will have to ensure a minimum fuel efficiency target of 5.20 kmpl during the warranty period, failing which the KSRTC can invoke recovery clauses for excess diesel consumption.

The official noted that trial runs would be conducted on 10 buses before full-scale delivery begins. Following evaluation, the remaining buses will be supplied in phases. Around 190 buses are expected to be delivered by the 90th day and the remaining 200 buses by the 120th day from the issue of the purchase order.

The officials said that the addition of new Sarige buses is expected to improve service frequency, reduce overcrowding and enhance connectivity for passengers dependent on public transport in rural and interior regions.