KSRTC plans to launch Ashwamedha AC buses within 100-km radius of Bengaluru

KSRTC plans to introduce AC Ashwamedha buses for Bengaluru commuters, offering comfort and reliability within a 100-km radius.

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“Every day feels like a battle just to get a seat,” says Santhosh Kumar, a daily commuter from Ramanagara. Like thousands of others from nearby towns such as Channapatna, Ramanagara, Kolar, Tumakuru, Mandya, and Chickballapur in Karnataka, as well as Hosur in Tamil Nadu, he travels to Bengaluru for work in an IT company. 

“The buses are always overcrowded, and the journey is uncomfortable,” he explains, adding that long workdays are made worse by the exhausting commute. For many, the lack of comfortable and reliable public transportation options turns daily travel to and from Bengaluru into a challenging ordeal.

Currently, commuters rely on either regular KSRTC buses, which often run at full capacity, or private transport services that are inconsistent and expensive.

To address this issue, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is planning to introduce a new fleet of AC Ashwamedha premium buses. These buses will cater specifically to commuters travelling within a 100-km radius of Bengaluru, offering a more comfortable and reliable alternative.

Passengers like Sahana M. from Tumakuru describe the commute as “exhausting and draining,” particularly after a long day at work. “We board already-crowded buses, and seats are hard to come by. There’s hardly any space to even stretch our legs. For office-goers who spend a minimum of two hours on the bus each day, the commute isn’t just inconvenient — it impacts our health and productivity,” she shares.

For many, the lack of basic amenities on existing buses means arriving at work already fatigued. Naveen S., who commutes from Bengaluru to Kolar to work in an industrial town, highlights the discomfort. “I travel over 70 km daily, often standing for most of the journey because there’s no room. It’s incredibly uncomfortable, especially in the summer,” he says.