KSRTC gets CIRT nod for body building
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has secured approval from the Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) for body building of Type II stage carriers as per the new bus body building code norms effective from January.
With this, the KSRTC can undertake body building of ordinary city buses up to deluxe, except multi-axle, at the Central Works, Pappanamcode.
The approval from the Pune-based CIRT, an undertaking of the Ministry of Shipping and Transport and the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings, issued on May 17 had reached the KSRTC headquarters, a top official of the KSRTC told The Hindu .
The Central Works is second in the State to get the mandatory accreditation from Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) after the unit in Kottayam. There are over 300 small and medium bus body builders in the State.
The CIRT’s approval, based on the Finite Element Analysis evaluated through computer, had revealed that the design was perfect. Even the tilt test was not needed.
Type II vehicles are those designed and constructed for inter-urban/inter-city transport without specified area for standing passengers, but can carry standing passengers over short distance in the gangway, unless otherwise prohibited.
The exhaustive code specifies the norms for the use of the material for body building, lighting and illumination, electrical equipment and wiring, among other things.
One service door ahead of the front axle, sliding window panes in all buses except in air-conditioned, two guard rails, emergency exits and use of tubular section are the features. Emergency exit opposite one of the service door and door apertures with hand rails and hand holds have been included.
For KSRTC, the official said, the challenge for commencing the body building was to procure the specified materials listed through e-tendering.
The phasing out of the conventional shutters and to go for transparent breakable windows was another hurdle, he added.
