Govt to appeal against HC verdict: Ganesh Kumar

Thiruvananthapuram: Transport minister KB Ganesh Kumar on Monday said that state govt would appeal against Kerala High Court's decision to strike down the regulation limiting private bus routes to a maximum of 140kms.

This comes after the court pointed out technical issues in the existing motor vehicle scheme, which previously prohibited private buses from operating over 140kms on nationalized routes. Govt, however, is firm on its policy and intends to escalate the matter to a division bench, said Kumar.

The rule restricting private buses to routes within a 140-km radius was introduced as part of a broader strategy to protect Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). The state-owned KSRTC, which operates on several key routes in the state, faced financial challenges for a long time. Allowing private buses to compete on long-distance routes was seen as a potential threat to KSRTC's ability to operate profitably, especially on lucrative routes.

The motor vehicle scheme provision was intended to give KSRTC an edge on longer routes and ensure that it could maintain its services in both profitable and unprofitable areas. Private operators, meanwhile, argued that the distance cap limits their ability to expand their businesses and provide a competitive alternative to KSRTC.

In its judgment, the high court struck down the distance limit, citing technical reasons. The single bench ruling found that govt did not provide sufficient justification under the law for maintaining such a restriction, and the technical basis for the cap was deemed unsatisfactory. As a result, the court ruled that the provision could not stand in its current form.