Kerala's E-Bus Dispute: Minister vs Mayor Clash

Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar dismissed Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V V Rajesh’s claim that 113 e-buses solely belonged to the civic body. The minister clarified that the project was a joint effort by central, state, and city corp. Mayor Rajesh objected to e-buses operating outside city limits.

Kerala Transport Minister, K B Ganesh Kumar, has refuted claims by Thiruvananthapuram's Mayor, V V Rajesh, stating that the 113 electric buses under the Smart City project belong solely to the city corporation.

A day after Mayor Rajesh objected to the e-buses operating beyond city limits, Kumar clarified that the buses were partly funded by the Central and State governments, and thus could not be claimed exclusively by the city corporation.

Kumar emphasized that the buses were introduced based on a collaborative agreement between multiple stakeholders, including the state government and KSRTC. He pointed out that the buses were running at a loss when he took office but have since become profitable.

(With inputs from agencies.)