Roll, baby, roll...

TRANSPORT: It's got to be the Kingfisher effect - take a bus in Karnataka after September, and you'll be in for a surprise.

The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is inspired by Vijay Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines, it seems. Come September, the Karnataka government-owned bus service is all set to introduced "in-coach" entertainment aboard its Volvo fleet of luxury long-distance buses.

Music is integral to the effort. Only recently, KSRTC procured Blaupunkt audio music systems for 400 buses (the bill: Rs 52 lakh).

According to a KSRTC official, "Initially, we will equip the long-distance inter-state Volvo buses with the in-coach entertainment system. It will be extended to other buses after studying the response."

The Volvo bus fleet is expected to expand to 150 in three months from 125 now, and every seat will have a CD/MP3 player, FM radio receiver and a stereo headphone set. Two foldable LCD TVs will be hung from the vehicle roof as well. The audio equipment part includes eight speakers and one sub woofer.

Any passenger boarding the bus would be given a list of audio CDs and MP3-files available on board. The passenger picks his/her choice, inserts the discs in the player (or clicks the file), slips on the headphones, and is ready to roll. Personal CDs may be played too, and there's FM radio as an option.

If music's not exciting enough, there's the regular movie (no choice here, though) that may be watched "" via headphones, this time round, unlike the old video coaches that left half its passengers with headaches. The idea is to offer wide choice "" including that of "do not disturb".

How much is it all going to cost KSRTC? The official refuses to divulge the financial details, saying that a tender with the detailed specifications would be announced soon.

"Our initial enquiries for in-coach entertainment received positive response from various audio/video equipment suppliers, including a few international brands," he adds.

Well, that's enough to set things rolling.