Thiruvananthapuram | The KSRTC has dismissed as "baseless" reports circulating on social media alleging widespread cancellation of its bus services and disruption of operations in the state.

In a statement issued late on Monday, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said its services were functioning normally and that 4,371 schedules were operated on the day.

It was 16 more than the 4,355 schedules run on the corresponding day of the previous week, it said.

The state-run Corporation also said that 376 spare buses were kept ready across various units on Monday for deployment whenever required, asserting that there was no operational crisis or large-scale cancellation of services.

Urging the public not to be misled by misinformation, KSRTC appealed to commuters to rely only on official information regarding its operations.

State Transport Minister C P John had also rejected reports of service cancellations on Monday.

The minister had also warned of stringent action, including suspension or dismissal, against KSRTC conductors found deliberately issuing 'zero tickets' meant for women to men under the state's Priyadarshini free bus travel scheme.

He had said inspections had been intensified to detect such irregularities and asserted that no leniency would be shown, irrespective of an employee's trade union affiliation.