Received order for 35 premium Metrolink 13.7 m buses
Scania CV India Pvt Ltd passed another significant milestone in its promise to deliver long-term Sustainable Transport solutions to the Indian market through the delivery of the first batch of Metrolink buses to The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) in Bangalore. The first batch of Scania Metrolink buses to KSRTC were officially flagged-off by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Siddaramaiah at VidhanaSoudha recently.
Wishing the team, the Karnataka Chief Minister said: “I am very pleased to see the progress KSRTC is making in the intercity bus segment. My hearty congratulations to the management team of KSRTC and Scania for launching the luxurious Airavat Diamond Class buses. Passengers travelling in the Airavat Diamond Class will experience safety and luxury at a whole new level. Scania is a global brand, epitome of comfort and safety and KSRTC’s association with Scania will set new trends in safe luxury travel.”
Expressing his pride over Scania buses in the KSRTC fleet, Mr. Anders Grundströmer, Managing Director, Scania India and Senior Vice President, Scania Group said: “KSRTC order is a very prestigious milestone in our expansion in the Indian market. It is a reconfirmation that Scania buses are the future growth drivers in the transport sector. Scania won this order on merit basis after a successful trial by KSRTC. We are proud to be associated with an institution such as KSRTC, who are the front runners and trend setters among the other State Transport Corporations. Scania Metrolink will set new trends in the premium category for its superior Total Operating Economy, while the passengers will be at the receiving end, benefitting from Scania’s progressive safety and ultra-luxury comfort elements. Scania buses through its features provide reduced emissions and promise a sustainable solution in the transport sector”.
Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Rajender Kumar Kataria, IAS, Managing Director, KSRTC, Bengaluru said: “The demand for safety, comfort and premium ridership has lead us to develop our top end Premium brand Airavat Diamond Class. We are pleased to receive the first batch of premium Scania Metrolink buses. Airavat Diamond Class with Scania Metrolink buses will address the growing demand for safety and comfort among passengers. The tender was granted post compliance to all rules and regulations as per the State’s mandate. With these buses we strengthen KSRTC’s promise to deliver safe and premium services in all aspects to the passengers”.
Scania handed over two Metrolink buses to KSRTC in July last year to run on trial basis for the period of two months. Scania was one of the contenders in the tender issued by KSRTC, inviting premium intercity bus manufacturers to file nomination towards the order. The result from the trial was overwhelming and received persistent appreciation from the passengers.
The Metrolink buses are packed with uncompromised safety and comfort features such as,
- Fleet Management Service (FMS) – performance monitoring of the vehicle and the driver to improve productivity and safety
- Speed limit compliant to state regulations
- Ensures all windows, front-rear-side and roof hatches, can be used as emergency exits – with twelve hammers
- Emergency doors
- Scania buses have fire retardant material in all critical areas
- Flight like safety video to educate passengers on Do’s and Don’ts at the time of emergency
- High definition IP Camera with night vision for recording inside the bus during travel in order to ensure safety for women and against theft.
- Scania Opticruise gearbox with built-in blended retarder gives most efficient braking without any discomfort to passengers
- Specially designed seats and suspension for maximum passenger comfort and to ease the travel fatigue
Mr. Sivakumar, Director, Sales, Scania India, further added, “The KSRTC order is very significant to us and our vehicles’ performance is a testimony to this order win. All Scania vehicles are manufactured under Global Industrial frameworks and maintain rigorous global standards in terms of safety and quality features. Through this order, we aim to reach new heights and establish a strong foothold in the market. KSRTC will benefit greatly from our committed aftermarket services and Fleet Management Service”.
Launched in February 2013, the Scania Metrolink range introduced highly reliable multi-purpose buses for medium and long distance travel in the Indian market. The buses are already present in all major states in the south of India, and in Maharashtra and Gujarat. All Scania products come with the promise of superior Total Operating Economy, maximum uptime and great fuel efficiency, which in turn helps in reducing impact on the environment by limiting CO2 emissions. Scania is expanding its foothold in India through rapid establishment of service and dealership network. In addition to the dealer outlets, Scania’s service vans guarantee service support to customers within two hours of fault reporting. Understanding the vital role that drivers play, Scania offers a complete driver training programme. A well trained driver can bring about huge impact in terms of operating economy, safety and acting at the time of emergency.