Tomin Thachankery removed as KSRTC MD

The Kerala government Wednesday removed senior IPS officer Tomin J Thachankery as the Managing Director of the crisis-hit Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.

Kochi city police commisisoner M P Dinesh has been appointed in his place.

Thachankery, who is the state crime records bureau ADGP, was holding the additional charge of the corporation.

The decision to remove Thachankery was taken at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday, a government release said.

The loss making corporation had recently terminated 3,861 empanelled (temporary) bus conductors following a direction from the high court.

The KSRTC had registered a record collection of Rs 45.2 crore, a three fold increase, in collection from its Nilackal-Pamba service at Sabarimala this year against Rs 15.2 crore during the same period last year.

The Opposition Congress-led UDF members had raised the termination of the KSRTC employees in the state assembly and walked out Monday alleging that the LDF government had not objected in the high court to the removal of the temporary conductors and had violated all employment laws.

Dr V Venu, Principal Secretary Forests and Wild life, has been appointed Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) in place of P H Kurian, who will retire on Thursday.