“The deployment of mobile workshop vehicles would allow staff to reach sites with technical failures or accidents on busy stretches without delay, clear obstructions, and minimise service disruptions,” Minister of Transport Ramalinga Reddy said. File
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The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) on Saturday (December 13, 2025) launched “Accident Emergency Response Vehicles” aimed at providing swift assistance during road accidents and vehicle breakdowns involving State-run buses. Initially, two Accident Emergency Response Vehicles will be deployed at central locations in Bengaluru and Mysuru.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy flagged off a fleet of Accident Emergency Response Vehicles, which have the capacity to respond swiftly to bus accidents and breakdowns on major transport corridors.
According to Mr. Reddy, the specially equipped vehicles will function as mobile workshops, enabling technical teams to quickly reach stranded buses with the necessary tools, spare parts, and support to restore operations. “Initially, two vehicles have been stationed at central locations in Bengaluru and Mysuru. These units will cover high-traffic regions including Tumakuru, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Mandya, and surrounding districts,” he said.
The Minister said the initiative was essential as buses operating from Kempegowda Bus Stand and Mysuru Road Bus Stand serve a wide network of intra-State and inter-State routes. “Frequent technical failures or accidents on busy stretches often lead to significant traffic congestion and inconvenience to commuters. The deployment of mobile workshop vehicles would allow staff to reach such sites without delay, clear obstructions, and minimise service disruptions,” Mr. Reddy added.
Assist in emergency response
Apart from enabling on-site repairs, the new vehicles will also assist in emergency response. In the event of an accident, teams can provide immediate support to drivers and conductors and assist in shifting injured passengers to nearby hospitals when necessary.
Each vehicle costs ₹7.22 lakh. The KSRTC announced that 10 additional units will be inducted by the end of January 2026 and subsequently deployed across the remaining districts in a phased rollout to ensure Statewide coverage.
“These vehicles are light commercial vehicle (LCV) pickup chosen for their fuel efficiency, power output, and suitability for transporting equipment safely. The turbocharged, intercooled diesel engine complies with BS-VI emission standards. The High Side Deck design enables secure carriage of spare parts and repair tools vital for field operations,” a senior KSRTC official explained.
Published – December 13, 2025 06:12 pm IST
