Energy Audit in KSRTC

'KSRTC fleet among largest fuel guzzlers'

Our Bureau
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Nov. 19

Business Line
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publicationsWednesday, Nov 20, 2002

A FIELD study carried out by the Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) has revealed that the fleet maintained by the public sector Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) returned an average mileage of 3.9 km per litre of fuel compared to the all-India average of 4.48 km.Presenting results of the study at a national seminar on `Energy conservation in the transport sector', Mr C. Jayaraman, State Co-ordinator of the PCRA, said that fleet utilisation in KSRTC during 2000-2001 has been found to be 78.2 per cent compared to 93.7 per cent and 99 per cent returned by its counterpart organisations in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The comparable occupancy figures were 4.53 per cent for KSRTC, 69.9 per cent for Karnataka and 61.34 per cent for Andhra Pradesh.
Further, the employee/bus ratio in KSRTC was also on the higher side - 7.8 compared to 6.1 in Karnataka and 7.15 in Andhra Pradesh.
Presenting another paper on energy conservation strategy in the transport sector, Mr T. Elangovan, Director, National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac), suggested intensive promotion of the public transport system as against personalised transport which have been found to relatively consume much higher levels of energy.
Paved footpaths and cycle tracks should be provided along major roads for use by conventional modes of transport such as bicycles.
Other strategies mooted include implementation of one-way regulations, wider use of signages, enforcement of parking restrictions and traffic management measures for ensuring a freer flow of traffic.
Similarly, road surfaces could be improved and busy commercial streets declared vehicle-free zones to save on fuel.
Developing a multi-modal approach for mass transport system was also another practicable suggestion for implementation, he said.
In her paper on `Potential of inland water transportation and energy conservation', Ms B.G. Sreedevi, Head, Engineering Division, Natpac, has advocated the shifting of a section of cargo from the road to inland water sector by utilising the potential of the existing waterways.
Concerted effort from all concerned would be required to ensure increased efficiency in the sector by enabling it to overcome systematic drawbacks such as comparatively low speeds.
Ms Leena Mehendale, Executive Director of PCRA, said that the association would extend training to drivers on energy conservation in the future.
PCRA will extend all assistance to bring out energy conservation literature in all regional languages.
Earlier, inaugurating the seminar, the State Electricity Minister, Mr Kadavoor Sivadasan, said that a conscious decision to reduce transmission loss and larger recourse to compact fluorescent lamps would lead to significant savings in electricity consumption.
The national seminar was organised jointly by the Energy Conservation Society in association with PCRA, the Energy Management Centre (EMC), Natpac, KMML, the State Committee for Science, Technology and Environment (STEC) and the Kerala Government.