Around 450 private passenger buses remained off the roads in Kasaragod on Monday as operators observed a one-day token strike against the UDF government’s Priyadarshini free travel scheme, which allows free travel for women, girls and transgender persons on KSRTC buses. The shutdown caused significant disruption across the district, especially in hilly interior areas where KSRTC services are limited.
Bus operators said the sector is facing a severe financial crisis, with several services already being withdrawn. According to T Lakshmanan, general secretary of the Kasaragod District Private Bus Operators’ Federation, five buses in Manjeshwar and 10 in Kanhangad taluk have submitted Form G applications seeking temporary suspension of operations due to unviability. He warned that more withdrawals could follow as operators struggle to meet basic expenses like diesel costs.
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Lakshmanan said daily collections have dropped by ₹1,500–₹2,000 while operating costs have increased by ₹600–₹800 due to rising diesel prices. He added that earlier he could earn about ₹2,500 a day after expenses, but now can barely pay wages and often has to spend from his own pocket just to refuel buses for the next day.
He also pointed out that the Kasaragod–Mangaluru route has been affected after Karnataka introduced free bus travel for students, while services along the Kasaragod–Payyannur corridor are no longer financially sustainable. Operators warned that continued losses could threaten the survival of the private bus sector.
Bus driver Aswin Vinod said earnings on his route have fallen sharply from around ₹6,500–₹6,800 to nearly ₹4,500 a day, while fuel costs alone touch about ₹5,300. He added that workers are struggling to sustain livelihoods, with many drivers and conductors receiving minimal or no wages.
Some employees also accused federation leaders of focusing only on owners’ concerns. Workers said daily wages have dropped significantly, with conductors and drivers now earning barely ₹300–₹400 after revenue sharing.
The strike, organised by the Kasaragod District Private Bus Operators’ Federation with support from INTUC, CITU and BMS, saw operators, workers and family members marching from Anangoor to the District Collectorate before staging a sit-in protest.
The federation has raised eight key demands, including limiting free travel to two trips per day through voter ID verification, excluding interstate and town-to-town routes from the scheme, recognising private bus operations as an industry, exempting buses from road tax, providing a 50% diesel subsidy, and having the government bear workers’ welfare fund contributions.
Operators have warned of intensified protests, including a relay strike scheduled in front of the Secretariat from July 20 to 26, if the government fails to address their concerns.
