Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) introduced five new Airavat Club Class 2.0 luxury buses into its fleet on Friday. According to officials, two buses each will serve the Mangaluru-Bengaluru and Mysuru-Mantralaya routes, while one will operate between Bengaluru and Tirupati.
These high-end Volvo 9600 series coaches, first introduced by KSRTC in December 2024, now bring the total count of this model in the fleet to 25. These buses are part of KSRTC’s effort to expand its premium travel services across the state and neighboring destinations.
At the launch event, Karnataka’s Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy handed out appointment letters to 45 new KSRTC constables, all recruited under the compassionate grounds policy. The minister also distributed financial relief packages to the families of deceased employees.
He granted Rs 1 crore to the family of a staff member who died in a road accident, and a total of Rs 2.6 crore (Rs 10 lakh each) to the dependents of 26 employees who passed away due to health-related reasons.
KSRTC noted that recruitments under compassionate grounds resumed last year, after a 10-year hiatus, with 271 posts filled since.
Additionally, under the accident insurance program, the corporation has paid out Rs 27 crore to the kin of 27 employees. Through the employee welfare scheme, another Rs 15.10 crore has been given to families of 151 staff members who died of ailments like cancer, stroke, and heart disease.