Vyttila Mobility Hub | Public Transit Development - Page 5

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 06:09 AM

The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation(KSRTC)'s moffusil and inter-district buses which were rerouted through the Vytilla bus terminal-cum-mobility hub during the past month will continue to call at the agency's main bus stand in the city from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.

These buses will enter the city through Thoppumpady during these hours, while plying through the NH 47 Bypass and the Vytilla terminal from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Buses from Kottayam, Vaikom, Thodupuzha and so on will operate through the terminal even during night. This was decided at a meeting held in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

The terminal has been opened to buses round-the-clock since Monday.

“The decision was taken since the passengers who got down at the Vytilla terminal at night and wanted to reach the two railway stations, bus stands and other places in the city were finding it tough to get public transport. Even our employees were finding it tough to reach the city stand after 8 p.m.,” said District Transport Officer K.C. Venugopal.

The KSRTC buses that start or end their trip in the city bus stand will continue to call at the bus stand.

Inadequate lighting on the Kaniyampuzha Road — the approach road to the bus stand — and the absence of footpath had been cited as the reasons for the Vytilla terminal remaining out of bounds for buses after 8 p.m. till Monday.

Managing Director of the Vytilla Mobility Hub Society M. Beena said that an office, garage and fuel station for KSRTC would be readied at the terminal in another four months, following which more buses would be shifted here. “We have asked the RTC to operate more feeder buses to the city through Vytilla for the convenience of passengers.”

Information counter

The dissonance between the KSRTC, the Society and the Motor Vehicles' Department has resulted in passengers getting confused about the operation of RTC buses from the city stand and the Vytilla terminal. The Society has directed the RTC to begin a full-fledged enquiry counter at the terminal, to help passengers.

“If the RTC is unable to do so, we have sought the list and timings of buses so that we can guide passengers,” Ms. Beena said.

The Society has planned a punching system at the terminal. Thus, apart from ensuring prompt operations of buses, passengers can be alerted about the arrival of buses and the bay where they will call at through LED screens.

It also plans to rope in student police cadets to create awareness of traffic rules, cleanliness and the need to wait in queue while boarding buses.

The KSRTC should operate night services on the Vytilla-Vytilla circular and other routessince passengers who arrived late in the city were often stranded at bus stops, said Ernakulam RTO T.J. Thomas. “It should also operate buses from bus stands, railway stations and so on to suburbs such as Fort Kochi, Aluva and Tripunithura, even if it means charging an additional 50 per cent fare like in Chennai and other metros,” he said. Mr. Thomas suggested that the RTC run mini buses, during off peak and night hours and through prominent side roads.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle2550497.ece

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vu3nnn

Another example of knee-jerk planning.

"Mobility Hub officials said that the decision was taken to decrease the heavy traffic in the city." But side-by-side they also plan to introduce some 50 new Vytilla-Vytilla circular busses through the city to increase connectivity to the mobility hub. How will traffic in the city reduce if long distance busses are replaced by circular busses?

The best approach is to re-route 50% of the long distance busses via Vytilla and retain the other 50% via the old route (and through Container Road to avoid North ROB) instead of the 8 to 8 approach.

As things stand, the people who benefit most from the Vytilla Hub are the private city bus operators and auto-rickshaws.

well, this is just the initial teeting troubles, which anyone would face when moving out of status quo. The inertia is the main reason and that doesnot simply require criticism.

There are mulitple agencies involved and ego clashes. That will solved in due course. VMH director Beena met CM and got directions for starting night services of KSRTC. You will not believe, the main reason which employees of KSRTC says they cannot operate from VMH is lack of Chayakada, where they can have a banana fry or tea for less than Rs 10.... i wonder Kerala's most busiest junction, Vytila lacks a Chayakada or peedika for having a quick bite?

These are silly petty reasons which unions cite for ensuring status quo.

Well, I hope Beena won't assure setting up a Thattukada in a 300 crore project.....

Ofcourse there is a requirement of food court and nobody is looking for a KFC or Mcdonalds there.... Something affordable. And works are going on, ready within a week.

e_arunsid · October 19th, 2011, 06:30 AM

Ya..I saw this on CITY time and was wondering why they are making such complaints like Chayakada ella...Lime Juice kudikan soukaryamilla...etc

.VMH just started it mit take some time to be in full flow and we need support from various agencies..but nammude keralam..oru kochu brandalyam thanne..

RKPV · October 19th, 2011, 08:11 AM

Please check today’s 'Nagaram' there is some valid points from KSRTC side too.

http://epaper.mathrubhumi.com/epaper.../19/2011-.aspx

I don’t think it is a wise decision to move all the KSRTC buses to Vyttila other than those which are passing through the city, unless Vyttila is directly connected to all suburbs of the city. I know the pain to reach Infopark or SEZ from Vyttila by bus, when I was living there.

Also just think about the traffic chaos once all these buses have to pass though the busy Vyttila junction.
And as of now, considering the facilities in Vyttila bustand, it is never comparable with the major busstands at other cities like Kannur,Thrissur or Kozhikode. At this stage, I will call it as "Immini vallya Ulliyeri bustand" . (Ulliyeri is a cross junction between Kozhikode and Perambra which have a pass through bustand without bus bays and handles around 500+ schedules a day,which multiplies the traffic at the junction) -

Once VHM project is fully functional it will not be successful without those proposed flyovers.

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 01:29 PM

Here are those reports

KSRTC not ready to divert night buses from current KSRTC station to VMH after 8pm. The official reason cited due to passenger inconveniences and complaints.

The VMH considers that a few officials of KSRTC are hijacking the process, though the Ernakulam Zonal Officer of KSRTC agreed to divert the buses. The society will take up with MD of KSRTC to sort out the differences.

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 01:32 PM

Regional Transport Authority ordered KSRTC to run 50 circular buses throughout the night to ensure the public donot get affected to reach VMH. The KSRTC officials are against it.

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 01:36 PM

KSRTC VS VMH

While VMH and RTA wants KSRTC moves to VMH completely, the employee unions and few officials of KSRTC feels, it would put terrible burden on the ailing KSRTC and increase financial difficulties.

Unions cite, while moving to VMH, they are getting less passengers, while private buses increasing profits....

The situation has gone into a major issue between two govt departments.

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 01:52 PM

Well this is a major tricky question?

Its just like asking, which is Ground Zero of Kochi. A few centuries back, the Ground zero of Kochi was at Mattacherry, then moved to Fort Kochi, then it moved to Tripunithara and finally from start of last century, it was Jos Junction in Ernakulam, referred as city center..... So things deserve a change for start of this century......

Today, things are again changing, the city has grown 40 kms in its radius, hence Jos Junction or Durbar Hall cannot be considered anymore as Ground Zero of the city.

Perhaps as of now, Vytilla Junction is the Ground Zero, which after few years or a decade, may move to Kakkanad or Trans-Asia Junction in SP/AP road.....

Hence, feeling that Ernakulam Bus station is the center of Kochi, is almost like frog's feeling that the world is inside his well.....

No-one, including me likes a change. We are used to a way and loves to continue that. We are used to eat with right hand, used to write from left to right and things like that. It will be so difficult for us to change. But change is inevitable.

While most of KSRTC officials agree, the congestion inside city core has reduced a lot, the company making a fuel savings due to VMH, they too must understand sooner or later people will start feeling Vytilla is very much inside the city.

Today, most of the people, including a long time resident like me, feels the city starts from cross South Overbridge and ends at North Overbridge. Thats a perception issue, as the real city is now outside this. Its just like centuries back, no one could think beyond Mattancherry Market or Jew Town or Fort Kochi.......

A well coordinated effort and conceived action plan, in my opinion solve the problem.

Ofcourse, there is no need to make every bus to go thro' VMH. It can act as South-East axis hub, while a redesigned Kaloor or somewhere in north, Probably in Edappally area can make itself for North axis hub......

I feel, these are teething troubles, which every project faces at beginning. We too have fallen down numerous of time, before started walking properly during childhood... Feeling the baby fall as failure is a coordinated efforts of vested lobbies who loves to see the city not advancing......

e_arunsid · October 19th, 2011, 02:06 PM

There is an urgent need for revising bus routes..Some routes just dont have enough buses.. For Eg.. Kakkanad to Thripunithara. F.Kochi/E.Kochi to Thripunithara and Vyttilla. Most of the buses still go through CBD.

mohammedirshad06 · October 19th, 2011, 03:11 PM

KSRTC divided on night use of Hub. While Managing Director Alexender Luke and Ernakulam Zonal Officer in favour for night services at Hub, few trade unions affiliated to congress and CPIM who have close access to Minister Sivakumar as well as Chief Traffic Officer of KSRTC feel otherway round.

Meanwhile Sivakumar seems to be against the move for night city services, after speaking to media against it. Responding the minister's statement, Dr.Beena spoke to Manorama that she has spoken to Chief Minister and he has agreed to directly intervene in the issue.

I am now sure, who is behind the vested moves..... Last week, under orders from CM's office, all Thirukochi buses returned back to services.

Malayaali · October 19th, 2011, 04:51 PM

കൊതുകിനുമില്ലേ കൃമി കടി

vu3nnn · October 19th, 2011, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Today, things are again changing, the city has grown 40 kms in its radius, hence Jos Junction or Durbar Hall cannot be considered anymore as Ground Zero of the city.

The issue here is not of Ground Zero. Regardless of whether Vytilla or Rajaji Road is ground zero or center of Kochi or not, the issues here are simply that:
1. there is no easy way for people from most places in the city to reach VMH / get to their destination after disembarking at VMH; and this problem is even more accute at night where the people are literally stranded. Reaching other destinations in the city is much easier from KSRTC stand or the old route that passes through most of the city with stops at important places such as Kaloor, Kacheripady, Palluruthy, Pallimukku etc. The people who get down from busses are concerned how to reach their destination TODAY, not about how shifting to VMH will make their commuting easier 5 or 10 years down the lane, or even six months later.
2. VMH, as of now lacks basic facilities.

Quote:

While most of KSRTC officials agree, the congestion inside city core has reduced a lot, the company making a fuel savings due to VMH, they too must understand sooner or later people will start feeling Vytilla is very much inside the city.

The contention that congestion inside the city core has reduced to any substantial manner owing to diversion of a few KSRTC superfast busses is based more on assumption and propaganda rather than actual fact. In any case, if more Vytilla circulars are introduced to improve connectivity to VMH, then there will be no difference in the number of busses plying.

It is true KSRTC saves on fuel, but the gains it makes on fuel is now apparently lost owing to decreased patronage.

Quote:

I feel, these are teething troubles, which every project faces at beginning. We too have fallen down numerous of time, before started walking properly during childhood... Feeling the baby fall as failure is a coordinated efforts of vested lobbies who loves to see the city not advancing......

This may be teething troubles all right, but then the solution to that is not adding more and more busses to the hub. As things stand, VMH has a decent share of busses. The right approach is to solve the pressing issues with the busses on hand, and then seek more busses......

...... and there's only a thin line separating genuine teething troubles and making it an excuse for lack of foresight / bad planning. Love for our city cannot make us blind to the shortcomings.... True, we need not feel this baby fall as a failure (even I know in due course much of the problems will go away), but we also do not have to bury our head in the sand and pretend that baby has not fallen when it actually falls.

DileepKS · October 20th, 2011, 03:30 AM

It is all essentially Inertia.

There are lots of places in the city that is not directly served by the KSRTC buses snaking through. People are just 'used to' this old route, that's all. That should not hold ransom upon progress.

The ONLY way forward is to run a rationally designed local connectivity services to these places from VMH. It is more important to maintain consistency on the VMH. This 8am/8pm business is not at all productive, and in fact, is RIDICULOUS. Even operating the originating services from the old stand is a bad idea, unless those services visit VMH.

Think from a passenger's viewpoint. The foremost concern I have is to get the maximum chance of catching a bus. For that I would prefer to have ALL the buses coming to the terminal I choose. Right now, I would be forced to choose VMH and take a 'passing thru' bus, or old stand and take an 'originating bus'.

And it is WORSE with the 8am/8pm cutoff.

KSRTC often forget its primary mandate, ie of being the transportation system for the people. The argument that the connectivity services run from VMH won't be profitable is RIDICULOUS. Let me prove it to you.

See how many buses 'snake thru' the city. Add up all the running kilometres, and calculate the running kilometres saved by going via VMH. It would be sufficient to run just that many running kilometres to keep satisfactory service to those places.

That is my layman's view. What do you think Binai? You should be able to give expert comment.

mohammedirshad06 · October 20th, 2011, 05:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vu3nnn

The issue here is not of Ground Zero. Regardless of whether Vytilla or Rajaji Road is ground zero or center of Kochi or not, the issues here are simply that:
1. there is no easy way for people from most places in the city to reach VMH / get to their destination after disembarking at VMH; and this problem is even more accute at night where the people are literally stranded. Reaching other destinations in the city is much easier from KSRTC stand or the old route that passes through most of the city with stops at important places such as Kaloor, Kacheripady, Palluruthy, Pallimukku etc. The people who get down from busses are concerned how to reach their destination TODAY, not about how shifting to VMH will make their commuting easier 5 or 10 years down the lane, or even six months later.

In 1946, when the current Bus station was commissioned, I believed the people of that time have same complaints to make. That time, it complaint was probably that buses donot originate at the easy points of Kochi city, aka Mattancherry, Fort Kochi etc.

Ernakulam city was not there effectively that time. What probably constituted EKM was just Durbar Hall, Shiva Temple, Huzur Cutchery, Maharajas College, Jos Tailors, Raja's School and the then the newly laid 70 feet Road and upgraded Tripunithara Royal Highway.

I see an exact replication of issues now..... If in 1940s a choice of bus stand was made near to a newly laid wide road, same happens now at Byepass road in Vytilla.

Tommorrow it will happen when a new terminus comes up in Puthencruz or Pallikara.....

Eariler there was no need of Vytila-Vytila Circular bus, which was started due to demand. More passengers at hub, demands more facilities, more development of the region and soon we will see Byepass becoming another MG Road. This is common to every time.

We cannot remain to one place, stating how to reach home.... If so Ernakulam South Railway station etc won't been there at all.... When a new thing starts, there will be issue of connectivity, that sooner/later will be resolved.....

I am sure, even if VMH was built in Majestic or CMBT manner right now itself, there will be complaints.....

I was surprised to see the main complaint made by drivers is not lack of street lighting or information facility of buses etc... But lack of Chayakada... Do you mean, Dr.Beena herself has to stand in the corner, serving tea to all?

That will come, once so called critical mass for Chayakada is required or felt by prospective owners......

RKPV · October 20th, 2011, 06:18 AM

Keeping public transport out of the city to ease private car/bike traffic is always a RIDICULOUS move. It is business and other institutions has to be replanted from city core to suburb, Not transport anyway.

Pass through buses/passengers can save atleast one hour if buses are passing through vyttila. So, as of now, i feel only that is a practical move. But should be without 8am/8pm rule.

mohammedirshad06 · October 20th, 2011, 07:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKPV

Keeping public transport out of the city to ease private car/bike traffic is always a RIDICULOUS move. It is business and other institutions has to be replanted from city core to suburb, Not transport anyway.

Pass through buses/passengers can save atleast one hour if buses are passing through vyttila. So, as of now, i feel only that is a practical move. But should be without 8am/8pm rule.

Well, city core should be used only for City buses.... Intercity and intrastate buses must not come into City core.

Someone must post Metro manorama page here. Its lot of good information....

The issue can be solved by running circular buses..... With Sivakumar heading the dept, I am sure, he will object every deal in Kochi..... First he tried to sabotage Thirukochi buses, but thanks to Media and intervention of CM, all buses are now restored..... Now he is against night services....

I am sure, media has started their campaign against it......

e_arunsid · October 20th, 2011, 07:32 AM

MI. As u said long distance buses shouldnt be allowed to enter city but before that Vytilla should be very well connected to different parts of the city. For Eg. To reach vytilla from places likes palluruthy,Edakochi,F.kochi,Kakkanad is very difficult.There aint enuf buses .

There is no need to add more buses..instead they can revise the routes.

DileepKS · October 20th, 2011, 07:39 AM

Here is some math

Running km from Edapally-Aroor via bypass : 18km
Running km from Edapally-Aroor via snake-route: 34 km
Diff in running km: 16km

So, you can run one city bus instead of every two long distance bus during the whole night. Let them run in exactly the snake-route, ie Edapally-Aroor, connecting at either end with the route of the long distance buses. Still it will turn economical, because:

1. Time value for the long distance travellers.
2. Running efficiency of long distance buses. Better mileage, less wear&tear
3. City buses cost less to run.

Malayaali · October 21st, 2011, 08:27 AM

VMH - A night capture

cc: Manorama

vu3nnn · October 21st, 2011, 04:08 PM

Quote: