Are we missing the Bus?

Saturday and Sunday are business holidays for the employees of IT & ITES Industry.

600 kms from Bangalore, so called Silicon Valley of India is Goa, a suitable destination for a weekend escape. With few flights at odd hours and irregular train arrivals, Bus is the most used form for these domestic tourists and Goans working in Bangalore. There are no official data available about the number of Goans working in Bangalore, but there are thousands working here as per many social networking websites

During peak seasons such as Christmas, Diwali and Ganesh Chaturthi, all possible transportation means are flooded. Private buses sub contract new buses, trains add more compartments, Flights hike prices. Now let us look at some facts:

Transport Name	No of Buses	Average Price
KSRTC Non AC- RAJAHAMSA EXECUTIVE	1	450 Rs
KSRTC AC VOLVO	2 (+ 1 During Season)	748 Rs
Paulo Non AC	3(+ 1 During Season)	450 Rs
Paulo AC Volvo	1(+ 1 During Season)	800 Rs
Seabird	1(+ 1 During Season)	500 Rs
Raj Travels	1	830 Rs
	Total Buses=9 (+4 During Season)	630 Rs.

Even Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) during the peak season prioritizes its capacity and hikes the price to almost Rs.1000. To add to the competition, KSRTC has an online internet booking website and all private buses are available for online booking as well on www.redbus.in .

How much money does the Home State make out of this?

So every day there at least 9 buses running and during season over 13 buses. One thing that remains unchanged during this gold rush is the approach of KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED on this route. Forget about online booking, it doesn't even have a website. Forget about website, total buses during peak season on this route go over 12, any guesses on how many buses KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED runs on this route…? Shockingly one, yes one and that too is a Non AC Bus taking grueling 16 hours. The KSRTC bus which leaves after an hour from Bangalore overtakes Kadamba even before getting out of Bangalore. It doesn't even have Volvo Bus running on this route unlike its counter part KSRTC.

Now perhaps after reading this article someone in Ministry of Road & Transport or KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED might realize the business potential or opportunity cost. Perhaps it might add to their demand of additional buses. But that's not the point I am trying to make. Ministry of Road & Transport & KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED need to be more proactive in its planning and execution. It has to realize that majority tourists come to Goa by road and it should maximize its revenue which it loses to private and other efficient state transports such as KSRTC. Other State Transports run into loss because there few high traffic routes, where as Ministry of Road & Transport & KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED need to cash in.

They have to really introspect, and move towards agility and adaptation to competition, opportunity costs and calculate loss of revenue by running sub standardized buses, old technology and old processes. Kadamba name belongs to an empire that remains in history of India, as an age of efficient governance and satisfied citizens lived. It's a prestigious and visionary brand name which needs the desired sanctity. Are the present Minister, Bureaucrats, stake holders doing justice to this prestigious brand name Kadamba, if not it must be renamed to Siesta Travels?

I might be taking a random example of one particular route. But with my travelling experience Inter & Intra State, this complacency of Ministry of Road & Transport & KADAMBA TRANSPORT CORPORATION LIMITED can be extrapolated. If KSRTC can be profitable, competitive and bring value to its commuters by offering value added services, then why can't Kadamba?

Goa can be the first developed state of India by 2015. And one of the key drivers is better infrastructure and transport facilities. As we are on international circuit, we must have better roads and we can strive neighboring states to improve their road conditions such as Dharwad Mollem road, so called National Highway still a mud road for over a decade. With no contractor assigned as per the NHAI website.

What do we offer fellow Goans or tourists when they reach a Bus Stand or Railway Station-do we have prepaid autos? Shouldn't citizens charge a fair price for service? Isn't haggling a form of corruption? Are the public service providers creating a competitive scenario for better service? Even BSNL is doing a good job, by forcing its telecom competitors to provide better value. The role of TRAI in policy making and execution is remarkable. Why cant Goa achieve this, do we lack the intellect or the will to change?

Even in 2008, the entire rural side of Goa, remains in contact with irregular bus service. If an human being, forget from which state or nationality or religion he belongs to, had to catch a train or reach home at late hours of night, why do fellow Goans who run autos and taxis behave like crocodiles awaiting their prey. Its sometimes such an irony to see our society which is so deeply routed religiously on days of worship. But no practicing the religion when it comes to business or work in private or public sector. I am compelled to generalize, as even a drop of curd in milk turns it sour.

After all life is one chance, and many of us waste this chance by joining the pursuit to make more and more money…hence I think we are missing the bus!