Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation

History

Foundation

Mysore Government Road Transport Department was inaugurated on 12 September 1948 with 120 buses. The transport department of The Mysore state administrated it until 1961.

Corporatization

It was subsequently converted into an independent corporation under Section 3 of the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950 on 1 August 1961, In 1961, after successfully converting into an independent corporation all assets and liabilities of MGRTD were transferred to Mysore State Road Transport Corporation.

Merger

On 1 October 1961, Bangalore Transport Service was merged with it.

Renaming

On 1 November 1973, the Mysore state was renamed as Karnataka, thus Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation.

Bifurcation

• On 15 August 1997, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation was bifurcated to cater to the transportation needs of Bangalore Metropolitan Region. It was formed by separating the Bangalore Transport Service.
• On 1 November 1997, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation was bifurcated to cater to the transportation needs of Northwestern parts of Karnataka.
• On 15 August 2000, Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (then North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation) was bifurcated to cater to the transportation needs of northeastern parts of Karnataka. This left the corporation to serve the southern part of Karnataka.
• On 23 November 2009, Bijapur division was transferred from NWKRTC to KKRTC.

Services

• Karnataka Sarige[[File:KSRTC Karnataka SARIGE Buses(Eicher and Ashok Leyland).png|thumb|Image of KSRTC Sarige buses. Top one is Eicher and the bottom one is Ashok Leyland (Both are BSVI). Both images are taken from KSRTC's website.]] It is a non-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of silver and red colours. It is an interdistrict, interstate service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Gramantara Sarige It is a non-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of blue and white colours. It is a service to connect villages to nearby cities and towns in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Nagara Sarige[[File:KSRTC-MCTC-Bus.jpg|thumb|KSRTC Mysore Division's Nagara Sarige built on Tata Marcopolo chassis]] It is a non-AC bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher urban chassis with various liveries depending upon the locale. It is an intracity and town service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka) except for Bangalore. Bangalore Metropolitan Region is served by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
• AC Nagara Sarige It is an * AC* bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on multi-axle Volvo urban chassis with various liveries depending upon the locale. It is an intracity and town service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka) except for Bangalore. Bangalore Metropolitan Region is served by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.
• Samparka Sarige It is a non-AC bus service with 2+2 non-reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher with white-pink livery. It is a shuttle bus service between Kempegowda Bus Station and Mysuru Road Bus Station in Bangalore.
• Ashwamedha Classic Class It is a non-AC bus service with 3+2 non-reclining seats with more comfort than Karnataka Sarige built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland suburban chassis with a durangi livery of two colours consisting of silver and red colours. It is an interdistrict, interstate point-to-point service in Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Rajahamsa Executive Class It is a non-AC ultra-deluxe bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland, Tata and Eicher chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Pallakki Class It is a non-AC ultra-deluxe bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on bi-axle Ashok Leyland Viking 222WB 11.3m chassis with a silver livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Airavat Class[[File:Bangalore Bus.jpg|250px|KSRTC's Airavat Class|center]] Launched in 2003, It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining semi-sleeper seats built on a bi-axle Volvo B7R (Old) or Volvo B8R (New) chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Airavat Club Class [[File:KSRTC-Airavat-Club-Class-Volvo-B9R.jpg|250px|KSRTC's Airavat Club Class|center]][[File:Volvo 9400 B11R Airavat Club Class.jpg|250px|A Volvo 9400 B11R Airavat Club Class bus operated by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation|center]] Launched in 2012, It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a multi-axle Volvo B9R (Old) or Volvo B11R (New), Scania Metrolink and Mercedes-Benz 0 500 R 1830 chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Airavat Club Class 2.0 Launched in 2024, It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats using Volvo 9600 multi-axle semi-sleeper buses with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Flybus It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, and an auto hand wash system built on a multi-axle Volvo B9R (Old) or Volvo B11R (New) chassis with a golden livery. It is a service connecting Kempegowda International Airport, Bangalore to Mysore, Madikeri and Kundapura.
• Ambaari Class[[File:KSRTC Corona AC Sleeper..jpg|250px|KSRTC's Ambaari Class|center]] It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on a single-axle Corona chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Ambaari Dream Class It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats built on a multi-axle Volvo B11R chassis with a white livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• Ambaari Utsav Class It is an AC luxury bus service with 2+1 lower and upper berth sleeper seats on a Volvo 9600 multi-axle sleeper with a light-blue livery. It is a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).
• EV- Power Plus+ It is an AC electric luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built by Olectra with a blue livery. It is presently running between the cities of Bengaluru and Mysore, Madikeri, Virajpet, Davanagere, Chikmagalur and Shimoga. It is expected to be operated on various intrastate and interstate routes out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka).

Former services

• Meghdooth Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a dark blue-white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was replaced with Sheethal Class.
• Sheethal Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a green livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was replaced with Airavat Class.
• Vaibhav Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with less reclining compared to Rajahamsa Executive Class built on a single-axle Ashok Leyland chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.
• Airavat Bliss Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, pantry and individual TV screens built on a multi-axle Volvo chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.
• Airavat Superia Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats with chemical toilets, Wi-Fi, and an auto hand wash system built on a multi-axle Volvo chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). Currently defunct.
• Airavat Diamond Class: It was an AC luxury bus service with 2+2 reclining seats built on a multi-axle Scania chassis with a white livery. It was a long-distance service operating out of Dakshina Karnataka (Southern Karnataka). This service was rebranded and merged with Airavat Club Class.

'Shakti Scheme' Free Bus Service for women

'Shakti Scheme' was announced by the Second Siddaramaiah ministry on 2 June 2023. It started on 11 June 2023, providing free-of-charge bus service to Karnataka-domiciled women. Beneficiaries show their government-issued photo identity and address proof for the first three months. Bus conductors issue them zero-fare tickets. Thereafter, beneficiaries obtain Shakti smartcards (named after the name of the scheme) through an application submitted via the government's Seva Sindhu website .

Terms and conditions of the scheme

• The scheme will apply to all four Road Transport Corporations in the state (KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC).
• Nagara Sarige, Gramantara Sarige, Karnataka Sarige, Vayavya Nagara Sarige, Vayavya Gramantara Sarige, Vayavya Karnataka Sarige, Kalyana Nagara Sarige, Kalyana Gramantara Sarige, Kalyana Karnataka Sarige, Bengaluru Sarige, Samparka and Astra services will be part of the scheme.
• Women can travel for free only on bus services within the state. Bus services to destinations outside Karnataka will be outside the scheme's purview even if women travel within the state. For example, a woman travelling to Mangaluru in Karnataka i.e., within the state on an Udupi-Kasaragod bus service which is an interstate service to Kasaragod in neighbouring Kerala, will have to buy a ticket.
• The scheme will not apply to luxury buses (Rajahamsa Executive Class, Airavat Class, Airavat Club Class, Pallakki Class, Amoghavarsha Class, Ambaari Class, Ambaari Dream Class, Ambaari Utsav Class, Kalyana Ratha Class, Fly Bus, EV- Power Plus+, Bengaluru Darshini, Vajra and Vayu Vajra services).
• Half of the seats on KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC's ordinary and express buses will be reserved for men. Luxury, AC and interstate buses as well as BMTC buses will be exempted from this.
• The government will reimburse the RTCs based on the distance women travel.

Karnataka's Road Transport Undertakings

• KSRTC, Bangalore: Operates out of Southern Karnataka.
• NWKRTC, Hubli: Operates out of North-Western Karnataka except Bijapur district.
• KKRTC, Gulbarga: Operates out of North-Eastern Karnataka and Bijapur district.
• BMTC, Bangalore: Operates in Bangalore Metropolitan Region offering transit service.

Namma Cargo Logistics and Parcel Services

Namma Cargo Logistics and Parcel Services was launched on 26 February 2021. It provides cargo and parcel services on the routes in which The KSRTC (Karnataka), NWKRTC and KKRTC buses travel.

References

References

1. "History of KSRTC".
2. (January 2022). "KSRTC Key Statistics".
3. Essentials, Law. "KSRTC: Case Study of The Dispute Between Kerala and Karnataka. Then the case was transferred to the Madras Highcourt and in December 2025, the Madras Highcourt acknowledged that the name KSRTC was trademarked by Karnataka in 2013 but the Kerala did it in 2015. But the Karnataka started using this acronym in 1974 and Kerala in 1965. So Madras Highcourt allowed both parties to continue using the acronym with their respective emblems that is Gandhaberunda (Karnataka RTC) and Kerala RTC. observing".
4. (5 June 2021). "Karnataka retains the legal right to use KSRTC abbreviation".
5. (12 October 2024). "Key Statistics".
6. Ray, Aparajita. (22 July 2012). "Wheels of change turn Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation into a winner". The Times of India.
7. Ray, Aparajita. (22 July 2012). "Wheels of change turn Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation into a winner".
8. "About Us - Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation".
9. "KSRTC starts service to Nashik".
10. "KSRTC to roll out Volvo multi-axle sleeper buses".
11. "Star of Mysore Online".
12. (14 January 2023). "Bengaluru-Mysuru 'EV- Power Plus' starts from Monday; Tickets cheaper than multi-axle AC fleet".
13. "KSRTC launches volvo with pantry".
14. "KSRTC launched four Airavat Superia buses with chemical toilets.".
15. "Scania delivers first batch to KSRTC".
16. (5 June 2023). "Guidelines released for free travel bus scheme for women in Karnataka".
17. (26 February 2021). "Karnataka govt launches 'Namma Cargo' parcel and cargo service, to be run by Karnataka SRTC".
18. "Karnataka retains the legal right to use KSRTC abbreviation".