The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Suggestions sought on new bus routes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 27, 2005

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Suggestions sought on new bus routes

Staff Reporter

Road Transport Authority told to notify new routes in Kochi

KOCHI: With steps being initiated to issue permits to 100 more private buses in Kochi city, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has sought suggestions from the public on the new routes (including side roads) through which the new services can be run.

Sources in the Motor Vehicles' Department (MVD) said suggestions have been sought from people, based on a High Court order asking the RTA to notify new routes in Kochi. A few months back, the High Court had also vacated the stay on issuing 100 new permits. The RTA will seek applications from bus operators after new routes are notified, they said.

This development comes in the wake of inadequate number of buses plying in the city, at a time when there is need for at least 750 of them. Of this, 630 permits are in the general category, 50 are KSRTC buses and 70 permits have been reserved for people in the SC/ST category.

The District Collector, A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, who is also the chairman of RTA, said that based on the High Court order, a decision had been taken in March 2005 to publish the notification. "We are in the process of identifying the number of vacancies in the list of 750 permits. Approximately, there are around 120 vacancies, mostly in the SC/ST category. New permits will be issued only after holding discussions with representatives of members of the public and bus operators," he said.

The general secretary of the Ernakulam District Private Bus Operators' Association, M.B. Satyan, said issuing permits to more number of buses is likely to throw traffic out of gear in the city. "The diversion of long-distance buses through the Kaloor-Kadavanthra Road was aimed at reducing snarls on the arterial roads. Owners of some city buses have expressed their willingness to ply buses through the route. With buses operating by the minute on routes like Aluva-Ernakulam and Ernakulam-Fort Kochi, introducing more buses in these routes would be impractical," he said.

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