After four decades of rescuing stranded buses and navigating challenging terrains, the iconic 'D 267' mobile workshop van of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has officially retired. The 40-year-old vehicle, considered the pride and saviour of the Pala KSRTC depot, has been taken to the Aluva Regional Workshop to be dismantled under the Central Government's vehicle scrappage policy.

From passenger favourite to rescue vehicle
The journey of this legendary vehicle began in 1984 when it joined the Kottayam depot as a brand-new passenger bus with the registration number S 4000. For 12 years, it served faithfully on the highly demanding, hilly Kottayam-Pala-Kattappana route, earning the affection of both passengers and crew. When its days as a passenger service bus came to an end in 1996, KSRTC decided to give the vehicle a new lease of life. It was converted into a mobile workshop van and rechristened as D 267. Since then, it remained a permanent fixture and lifeline of the Pala depot for nearly 30 years.

Sabarimala duties and legacy
One of the most illustrious chapters in the history of D 267 was its annual deployment to Pampa during the Mandala-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season. Starting from 2000, the van served continuously for 17 years at Sabarimala, ensuring that transport services for lakhs of pilgrims remained uninterrupted. Whenever a KSRTC bus suffered a breakdown on the steep, forested routes, D 267 was quickly dispatched to fix the issue, earning it a legendary reputation. As it departs for the scrapyard, transport employees and bus enthusiasts bid an emotional farewell to a vehicle that spent its entire life ensuring others kept moving.