Vyttila Mobility Hub | Public Transit Development

[mohammedirshad06]

Well, as part of resolving disputes between KSRTC and VMH, a meeting has been called by Transport Minister on Oct 31st for discussing various proposals. VMH's one of strong proposal is either allow all buses to pass in both places, the main bus station and VMH or divert 50% of bus from KSRTC and remaining from VMH.

Well the main concern is a few officials and unions are damn against using VMH at night and hijacked the proposal right from day one.

Its under this scenairo the discussions are happening.

While the main suggestions

1. Allow all buses to go via both Central Station and VMH

Under this, buses from Northern parts, enter the city via Edapally Byepass, enter into Hub and further proceed to Central Bus station via SA Road, MG Road and from there proceed to West Kochi via MG Road itself

Bus from south enter first Bus station and from there proceed to VMH via SA Road and from VMH it will go south via Byepass.

However the concern is the bus will ignore Palarivatom-Edapally-Kaloor side completely and if to cater them, it will create more distance to run

2. Allow half buses to run only to Bus stand and remaining half to VMH

In such case, people will get confused which bus goes where and ends up in public anger, which is the main arguement of KSRTC.

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In meantime, KSRTC General Manager ruled out any night service/circular buses for the city. It seems its part of lobbies against Kochi and its growth....

While Dr. Beena, the MD of VMH said she has taken into consideration what Mathrubhumi and Manorama suggested to her as route proposals and will present the case as alternate proposals.

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The best thing is to remove the useless MD at helm and making someone strong and powerful like Beena or IG Sen or Siby Mathew at Helm who is capable to deciding based on today's and tommorrow's growth, rather than interests for few Sari shops and tea stalls!!!!

[DileepKS]

It is time to buy a tonne of Santhosh Brahmi (ayurvedic brain stimulant) and give to these morons!!

EVERY bus that go via bypass is saving 16 running kilometres. That saving is more than enough means to run circular city buses. Still KSRTC is claiming it is facing losses!!

KSRTC have hundreds of buses lying around during nights. Still they claim that buses are not availlable to run the night services!!

Every bus that go via bypass is saving at least half hour staff time. Still, KSRTC is claiming that there is no staff!!

And the GM claims that he is concerned about passenger convenience. Taking every long distance passengers via the city, losing more than half an hour is very convenient according to the GM!!

No wonder the White Elephant is dying!!

[e_arunsid]

Well said.

The issue here is not lossing passenger's . Once VMH becomes fully operational for KSRTC , passengers would obviously come (Allathe ellavarum train pidichu pokathilla).

KSRTC is more worried abt the traders in the station .

[RKPV]

It is 9 Km difference not 16. But sure it is not half an hour, a passenger can save at least one hour in peak time if the bus passes through Vyttila, IF and only IF he is a pass through passenger . And most of the passengers are NOT.

Most of the buses have a 12 hrs schedule,365 days, so they need rest and maintenance. And most of the drivers and conductors need enough rest after 4-5 continuous duties. And None of the pass though buses and its employers belongs to EKM depot, so they need new buses and new employees for running circular buses. Am I right????

If a long distance passenger has to ride in the red crap city buses for half an hour to reach his hotel/office/business/market/Railway with all his luggage and belongings and without having a seat, I don’t think it will be convenient for him. Does it to anyone?

My Conclusion: Since, Vyttila is congested and less connected to suburbs, Vyttila re-routing of long distance buses will be worth only for pass through passengers. So, ONLY the pass through buses can be re-routed.

Originally Posted by DileepKS

EVERY bus that go via bypass is saving 16 running kilometres. That saving is more than enough means to run circular city buses. Still KSRTC is claiming it is facing losses!!

KSRTC have hundreds of buses lying around during nights. Still they claim that buses are not availlable to run the night services!!

Every bus that go via bypass is saving at least half hour staff time. Still, KSRTC is claiming that there is no staff!!

And the GM claims that he is concerned about passenger convenience. Taking every long distance passengers via the city, losing more than half an hour is very convenient according to the GM!!

No wonder the White Elephant is dying!!

[DileepKS]

RKPV, Google Maps tell me the distance between Edapally And Aroor via the bus route is around 34km, and via bypass it is 18km. Hence the 16km number.

I am demanding only pass through buses use bypass, and not go via the city. The buses terminating at Ernakulam can still be operated from the current KSRTC stand.

If a long distance passenger has to ride in the red crap city buses for half an hour to reach his hotel/office/business/market/Railway with all his luggage and belongings and without having a seat, I don’t think it will be convenient for him. Does it to anyone?

So, do you mean to say that the buses drop the passengers right at the hotel/business? They will have to take local transportation anyway. So, what is the bigg deal?

We are talking about just 8 buses running during night. Please don't tell me that all the buses are so tightly being used, that you can't allocate 8 buses. Also, I am not asking the staff from other units to operate the city buses. The point is there will be net reduction in staff utilization, which could be used for the additional services.

[RKPV]

Please check google maps , it is 22.5 kms + 1 km for KSRTC Stand. And through bypass it is 17kms.

Originally Posted by DileepKS

So, do you mean to say that the buses drop the passengers right at the hotel/business?

Is that practically possible? If possible we should. Or at least we can do as much as possible. That is more meaningful to the term 'convenience', I feel.

We are talking about just 8 buses running during night. Please don't tell me that all the buses are so tightly being used, that you can't allocate 8 buses. Also, I am not asking the staff from other units to operate the city buses. The point is there will be net reduction in staff utilization, which could be used for the additional services.

8 circular buses in extisting Vyttila - City -Vyttila , not going to answer all the questions. Vyttila should have good connectivity to all the suburbs ( Even city -Kaloor/MGRoad - does not have that much connectivity in night time !)

[vu3nnn]

We are talking about just 8 buses running during night. Please don't tell me that all the buses are so tightly being used, that you can't allocate 8 buses. Also, I am not asking the staff from other units to operate the city buses. The point is there will be net reduction in staff utilization, which could be used for the additional services.

One additional issue is that KSRTC being KSRTC, you can be rest assured that any night city services would soon become erratic and unreliable, and all the eight busses will end up running as a convoy, benefiting no one.

In an ideal world, long distance busses touching VMH and feeder busses serving different parts of the city round the clock makes sense, but the ground realities are far from ideal, and this makes re-routing services to touch both VHM and Central station as the only workable solution, at least for the time being. (I would prefer these busses to turn from Medical Trust Jn without going all the way to the central station though - that will take off about 4 kms from the long route).

On a related note, Kochi is not the only place where long distance busses enter the city rather than use the byepass. For example, busses passing through Trichur follow a equally long snake route to touch the central station rather than halt at Mannuthy to let off and take in Trichur based passengers.

Again, it is true many cities (such as Chennai, Madurai etc) have build central bus stations nearer to the highway and outside the city core, but other cities (such as Coimbatore, Bangalore) continue to develop their bus stations in the heart of the city. My point is, VMH has its uses (just as the various satellite bus stands at Bangalore have their uses) but it is not advisable to insist that all busses should base from here; at least now.

In future, after Vytilla gets flyovers, public transport in the city improve (with hopefully a SPV launched to run JNURM busses) to ensure reliable night time services, the metro taking concrete shape and other developments, VMH can indeed become the main hub for bus operations in Kochi.

[mohammedirshad06]

I feel the current problems can be solved only if an SPV is formed, not just to handle buses alone, but it should intergrated transport services for the city, just like how RTA works for Dubai City.... Even Metro can come under it.

Only then, multi-modal transportation works out and issues between multiple agencies be sorted out. Else it will continue forever. If we settle KSRTC-VMH, the next big crisis is going to come in form of State Water Transport Corporation and Kochi City Corporation sponsored CATS..... Imagine, they are going to launch water metro without any coordination with bus timings and in future metro timings....

Things will go erratic. As Sir said, KSRTC is highly unreliable organization. It will end up like a convoy if not done properly. A joint company with Govt, Cochin Cochin Corporation, KSRTC, STWD, KTDC and even public like in CIAL's model will be helpful to solve the transport crisis forever.....

[DileepKS]

My campaign for cost comparison of running the buses via bypass has found some traction. Today's Manorama picked it up with the numbers.



Night buses via hub: No extra expenses.
It shows that moving the long distance buses via the hub will in fact be profitable to KSRTC.

[RKPV]

Now a days we had enough pulp fiction in some local city pages.

[mohammedirshad06]

KSRTC passengers going to have a Kochi Darshan Sightseeing, due to its stubborn stand of not using VMH at night

From Thursday onwards, no vehicles have been allowed to use North ROB from midnight onwards, due to full scale work going on there. Since works of Chitoor road and other side roads are progressing at night, buses are also not allowed to use Pullepady ROB too. As a result, buses coming from Northern sides, need to take diversion from Kaloor to reach Kadavanthara and need to travel to Bus station via South and MG Road. The same process gets repeated, increasing the number of KM to be run and causing much anger by public against KSRTC to making them tour around the city due to their stubbornness.

Whereas only half of the existing KMs to be run required, if instead of Station, Hub is used.... This matter will be highlighted in the meeting soon...

[vu3nnn]

From Thursday onwards, no vehicles have been allowed to use North ROB from midnight onwards, due to full scale work going on there.

AFAIK, the restriction was only for Thursday night to move machinery, and not Thursday onwards. It makes no sense to block the North ROB completely. The present works have nothing to do with the main bridge, and does not require access to the bridge either.

Since works of Chitoor road and other side roads are progressing at night, buses are also not allowed to use Pullepady ROB too.

If the narrow and obstacle laden approach roads to the Pulleppady ROB that cannot even accommodate two and three wheeler traffic (http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pullepady...68-60-122.html) leave alone bus services were touted as the reason, the report would have been credible. Instead it is now nothing more than pulp-fiction.

1. The works on Chittoor Road (Kacheripady - KSRTC stretch) and the side roads have already been completed long ago
2. Even when busses come via North ROB the same Chittoor Road is used. Rather, if Pulleppady ROB is used, the busses can enter the KSRTC station straight via CP Ummer Road without going anywhere near Chittoor Road!

The same process gets repeated, increasing the number of KM to be run and causing much anger by public against KSRTC to making them tour around the city due to their stubbornness.

1. The same process does not get repeated since busses go to /come from West Kochi

2. The "much anger by public against KSRTC" is relative, depending on the person. Someone traveling from say Trichur to Trivandrum will have a reason to be angry, but for a good number of people staying in Kochi (people staying at Kaloor, Ernakulam City, North Kochi (Pachalam-Vadathala-Chittoor), Goshree Islands, West Kochi etc), the much anger will come if KSRTC shifts to VMH without touching the present route.

Considering that the Bye Pass VMH route is a "new" privilege, it cannot be offered by snatching away the privilege enjoyed by others. That will only serve to exemplify the adage "Robbing Peter to pay Paul." Only after fool-proof arrangements to ensure people on the existing route get their due can the new privilege be introduced.

[DileepKS]

How many people actually use this 'privilege'? Very few, as per a sample survey done by Manorama.

[mohammedirshad06]

CM Ommen Chandy is intervening into the KSRTC-VMH Tussle, after realization the gravity of the incident. The meeting called by Transport Minister Shivakumar tomorrow is now postponed to Wednesday to allow CM to head the meeting and sort out the differences.

Since KSRTC and the department is sticking to its stubborness, there was an active pressure from Public seeking for CM's intervention. District Collector Sheikh Pareek, Ministers Babu, Ibrahimkunju, MLAs like Benny Behanan, Dominic, Hibi Eden, Mobility Hub MD Beena and Mayor Chammany will attend the meeting.

[mohammedirshad06]

Well, the standoff between VMH-KSRTC may turn into a blessing in disguise, with now cries for Unified Transport Authority being raised. Perhaps, if the momentum is kept, Kochi will have its own Dubai kind of RTA for the city

The Vytilla Mobility Hub Society must ideally be the sole custodian vested with powers to coordinate and strengthen public transport in Kochi, the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) has said.

By making it a single-point window for streamlining the bus, auto-rickshaw, ferry, railway and the proposed metro-rail system, it would function as a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) for Kochi.

The Authority would coordinate with transportation stakeholders like the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, associations of private bus owners and workers, auto rickshaw unions, agencies which operate boats, the Railways and the Kochi Metro Rail Limited. It would also liaison with the traffic police and the Motor Vehicles Department, the CPPR said.

Though all transportation and rule-enforcement stake holders would be represented at the Authority's meetings, the Mobility Hub Society would have the power to decide on the routes through which the buses and boats would ply. In the absence of such a coordinating agency, there is mismatch between the operations of different modes of transport, to the detriment of commuters.

The Vytilla bus terminal cum mobility hub was envisaged as a hub for inter-modal transport – a place where commuters could chose their mode of travel, be it buses, autos, metro-rail, boats or trains, the CPPR said.

Once the Mobility Hub Society is vested with powers of the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority, officials of different departments would not have to rush to Thiruvananthapuram every now and then to redress transportation and traffic problems encountering the city.

The city will have a comprehensive transport plan too.

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper...cle2584075.ece

[mohammedirshad06]

The Vytilla Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) has informed that Chief Minister, Oomen Chandy will convene a meeting to end impasse over operating Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) services through the terminal on round-the-clock basis.

The Chief Minister will hold discussions with Minister for Transport, V S Shivakumar and other senior officials from KSRTC and VMHS at Thrivananthapuram on Wednesday. "It is brought to the attention of the ministers the importance of the hub in easing traffic congestion in the city, particularly in the wake of dismantling the North Railway Overbridge," said Dr M Beena, Managing Director, VMHS.

KSRTC has refused to re-direct buses through the hub after 8 pm stating that it would isolate the city and cause inconvenience to passengers. Though the idea of operating additional feeder services connecting the city and terminal was mooted, the corporation maintained that they would consider the option depending on demand and passenger patronage.

KSRTC officials maintain that commuters to West Kochi, Ernakulam Town Railway Station and Ernakulam Junction Railway Station will be heavily affected by the change. "The commuters to Aroor, Edakochi and Thoppumpady areas will also find it difficult if all the long distance KSRTC buses are made to operate through the Mobility Hub after 8 pm," said P L Jose, KSRTC, Ernakulam Zonal Officer.

For ensuring optimum utilisation of facilities at terminal, it was suggested to operate part of night services through the hub and the rest through the bus station at south. KSRTC has pointed the absence of garage and fuelling facilities at the hub as major reasons for refraining from operating services through the hub during night hours.

Currently long distance superfast and other high end services pass through Vytilla terminal between 8.00 am and 8.00 pm. Private buses which operate services to neighbouring states, Tamil Nadu State Road Transport Corporation and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation have expressed willingness to operate from the hub.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/10581301.cms

[Malayaali]

Mayor Speaks!

The Govt. has taken a favourable stand on KSRTC night service in Kochi city through Vyttila mobility hub. KSRTC is getting 100 new buses in the next 6 months,which will facilitate the night service.The Govt. has asked Vyttila mobility hub society MD,Transport secretary & KSRTC MD to report in a week,how best the present facilities in the mobility hub can be used for city service. In the meeting with Chief Minister Sri. Oommen Chandy, i made a suggestion to upgrade the Vyttila mobility hub society into Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority, which will take care of all means of transportation in the city including the metro rail.

Source: FB/Tony Chammany

[DileepKS]

Government with Public Opinion

കൊച്ചി: കൊച്ചിക്കു രാത്രികാല സിറ്റി സര്*ക്കുലര്* സര്*വീസ്, കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്* 24 മണിക്കൂറും വൈറ്റില മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് വഴി - കൊച്ചിയുടെ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങള്* സര്*ക്കാര്* അംഗീകരിച്ചു.

മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയുടെ അധ്യക്ഷതയില്* ചേര്*ന്ന ഉന്നതതല യോഗം രാത്രികാല സിറ്റി സര്*ക്കുലര്* സര്*വീസിനും കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി ബസുകള്* വൈറ്റില മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് വഴി തിരിച്ചുവിടാനും വേണ്ട ക്രമീകരണങ്ങളെക്കുറിച്ചു പഠിച്ച് റിപ്പോര്*ട്ട് സമര്*പ്പിക്കാന്* മൂന്നംഗ സമിതിക്കു രൂപം നല്*കി. റിപ്പോര്*ട്ടിന്റെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്* മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് 24 മണിക്കൂറും പ്രവര്*ത്തനസജ്ജമാക്കും.

ഗതാഗത സെക്രട്ടറി ജ്യോതിലാല്*, കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി എംഡി അലക്സാണ്ടര്* ലൂക്ക്, വൈറ്റില മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് എംഡി ഡോ. എം. ബീന എന്നിവരാണു സമിതി അംഗങ്ങള്*. ഒരാഴ്ചക്കകം റിപ്പോര്*ട്ട് സമര്*പ്പിക്കും.

കൂടുതല്* ബസുകള്* ഇല്ലാത്തതിനാല്* രാത്രി സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കാന്* പ്രായോഗിക ക്ളേശങ്ങളുണ്ടെന്നു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി വാദിച്ചെങ്കിലും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി അംഗീകരിച്ചില്ല. എത്രയും വേഗം സിറ്റി സര്*വീസുകള്* ആരംഭിക്കാനും ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്* മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് വഴി ഒാടിക്കാനും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി നിര്*ദേശം നല്*കി. ഇതിനുള്ള പ്രായോഗിക നടപടികള്* സമര്*പ്പിക്കാനാണു സമിതിയോടു നിര്*ദേശിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നത്.

ഇടപ്പള്ളി മുതല്* അരൂര്* വരെയുള്ള യാത്രക്കാര്*ക്കു യാത്രാ സൌകര്യം ഇല്ലാതാവുമെന്നതിനാലാണു രാത്രി ബസുകള്* വഴിതിരിച്ചു വിടുന്നതിനെ എതിര്*ക്കുന്നതെന്നു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി യോഗത്തില്*
വാദിച്ചു. പ്ളാന്* ഫണ്ടില്* ഉള്*പ്പെടുത്തി പുതിയ ബസുകള്* വാങ്ങാന്* ബജറ്റില്* 14 കോടി രൂപ അനുവദിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി എംഡി പറഞ്ഞു. 100 പുതിയ ബസുകള്* വാങ്ങാന്* ആറു മാസം വേണ്ടിവരും. അതുവരെ നിലവിലുള്ള രീതിയില്* കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി ബസുകള്* സര്*വീസ് നടത്തേണ്ടിവരുമെന്ന് എംഡി പറഞ്ഞെങ്കിലും അതിനകം എന്തുചെയ്യാന്* കഴിയുമെന്നു മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി ആരാഞ്ഞു. മന്ത്രി കെ. ബാബുവിന്റെ നിര്*ദേശം അനുസരിച്ചാണ് ഇതിനു വേണ്ട ക്രമീകരണം പഠിക്കാന്* മൂന്നംഗ സമിതിയെ ചുമതലപ്പെടുത്തിയത്.

പശ്ചിമകൊച്ചിയിലെയും നഗരത്തിലെയും യാത്രക്കാര്*ക്കു പകരം സൌകര്യം ഏര്*പ്പെടുത്താതെ കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി യുടെ രാത്രി ബസുകള്* വൈറ്റില വഴി തിരിച്ചുവിടരുതെന്ന് എംഎല്*എ മാരായ ഡൊമിനിക് പ്രസന്റേഷനും ഹൈബി ഇൌഡനും വാദിച്ചു. എന്നാല്*, യോഗത്തിന്റെ പൊതു അഭിപ്രായം ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്* വൈറ്റില വഴി പോകണമെന്നു തന്നെയായിരുന്നു.

രാത്രികാല സിറ്റി സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കുമ്പോള്* അതിന്റെ റൂട്ട് ഏതു വിധമായിരിക്കണമെന്നു കമ്മിറ്റി പരിശോധിക്കും. കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിക്കു പുതിയ ബസുകള്* വന്ന ശേഷമേ പൂര്*ണ തോതിലുള്ള സിറ്റി നൈറ്റ് സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കാന്* സാധ്യതയുള്ളു. എന്നാല്*, അതിനു മുന്*പു തന്നെ ദീര്*ഘദൂര ബസുകള്* വൈറ്റില വഴി തിരിച്ചുവിട്ടേക്കും. മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ്ബിനെക്കുറിച്ചു ഹബ് സൊസൈറ്റി എംഡി ഡോ. ബീന യോഗത്തില്* വിശദീകരിച്ചു.

ഫോര്*ട്ടുകൊച്ചിയില്* നിന്ന് ആലപ്പുഴയ്ക്കു പുതിയ ബസ് സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിക്കണമെന്നു ഡൊമിനിക് പ്രസന്റേഷന്* യോഗത്തില്* ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. എന്നാല്*, പുതിയ സര്*വീസുകള്* ആരംഭിക്കുന്നതു പ്രായോഗികമല്ലെന്നു മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി പറഞ്ഞു.
നഗരസഭയ്ക്കു ലഭിച്ച എസി ലോഫ്ലോര്* ബസുകളും സെമി ലോഫ്ലോര്* ബസുകളും നഗരത്തിനു പുറത്തേക്കാണ് സര്*വീസ് നടത്തുന്നതെന്നും ആ ബസുകള്* തിരിച്ചു വിളിച്ചു സിറ്റി സര്*വീസിന് ഉപയോഗിക്കണമെന്നും മേയര്* ടോണി ചമ്മണി ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. തിരു കൊച്ചി സര്*വീസുകള്* 70 ഉണ്ടായിരുന്നത് ഇപ്പോള്* കാണുന്നില്ലെന്നും മറ്റു ഡിപ്പോകളിലേക്കു അയച്ചെന്നും ടോണി പറഞ്ഞു. എന്നാല്*, സര്*വീസ് ആരംഭിച്ച ബസുകള്* തിരിച്ചുവിളിക്കുന്നതു യാത്രക്കാരുടെ പ്രതിഷേധത്തിനിടയാക്കുമെന്നു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി എംഡി പറഞ്ഞു.

മന്ത്രിമാരായ കെ. ബാബു, വി.കെ. ഇബ്രാഹിംകുഞ്ഞ്, എസ്. ശിവകുമാര്*, മേയര്* ടോണി ചമ്മണി, എംഎല്*എമാരായ ബെന്നി ബഹനാന്*, ഡൊമിനിക് പ്രസന്റേഷന്*, ഹൈബി ഇൌഡന്*, ലൂഡി ലൂയിസ്, കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി എംഡി അലക്സാണ്ടര്* ലൂക്ക്, ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് സെക്രട്ടറി ജ്യോതിലാല്*, മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് എംഡി ഡോ. എം. ബീന, ആര്*ടിഒ സി.ജി. തോമസ്, കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്* തുടങ്ങിയവര്* യോഗത്തില്* പങ്കെടുത്തു.

Three member committee formed to recommend the arrangements to move long distance buses to VMH.

[DileepKS]

Metropolitan Transport Authority for Kochi

കൊച്ചി: വൈറ്റില മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് 24 മണിക്കൂറും പ്രവര്*ത്തന സജ്ജമാകുന്നതോടെ കേന്ദ്ര അര്*ബന്* ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് പോളിസിയനുസരിച്ചു കൊച്ചിയിലും മെട്രോപ്പൊലിറ്റന്* ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിറ്റി രൂപീകരിക്കാനുള്ള സാധ്യത തെളിയുന്നു.

പത്തു ലക്ഷത്തിലേറെ ജനസംഖ്യയുള്ള നഗരങ്ങളുടെ പൊതു ഗതാഗതം ഏകോപിപ്പിക്കാന്* മെട്രോപ്പൊലിറ്റന്* ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിറ്റി വേണമെന്നതു കേന്ദ്ര സര്*ക്കാര്* നയമാണ്. കൊച്ചിയില്* റോഡ് ഗതാഗതം തന്നെ സ്വകാര്യ ബസുകളും കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിയും കൂടിയാണു കൈകാര്യം ചെയ്യുന്നത്. ഇതിനു പുറമേ ജലഗതാഗതവും കൊച്ചിക്കു പ്രധാനമാണ്.

എല്ലാത്തരം ഗതാഗതവും ഏകോപിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ഏക ഗതാഗത ഏജന്*സിയായി വൈറ്റില മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് സൊസൈറ്റിയെ വികസിപ്പിക്കാന്* കഴിയും. മെട്രോ റയില്*, റോഡ്, ജല ഗതാഗത സൌകര്യങ്ങള്* സംഗമിക്കുന്ന കേന്ദ്രം എന്ന നിലയില്* ഇത് ഏറെ പ്രസക്തമാണ്. മൊബിലിറ്റി ഹബ് സൊസൈറ്റി മെട്രോപ്പൊലിറ്റന്* ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിറ്റി എന്ന നിലയിലേക്ക് ഉയര്*ത്തണമെന്നു മേയര്* ടോണി ചമ്മണി മുഖ്യമന്ത്രി വിളിച്ചുകൂട്ടിയ യോഗത്തില്* ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു.

കേരളത്തിനു പുറത്തുള്ള എല്ലാ വന്* നഗരങ്ങളിലും വിവിധ പൊതു ഗതാഗത സംവിധാനങ്ങള്* ഒരു ഏജന്*സിക്കു കീഴിലാണ്. ബസ് സര്*വീസ് സാധ്യമല്ലാത്തിടത്തേക്കു ബോട്ട് സര്*വീസ് നടത്താനും ഒാരോ ഗതാഗതമാര്*ഗത്തിന്റെയും തുടര്*ച്ചയായി മറ്റൊരു സംവിധാനം ഉറപ്പാക്കാനും വന്* നഗരങ്ങളിലേതു പോലെ ഏകീകൃത ടിക്കറ്റ് കൊണ്ടുവരാനും ഇതുവഴി കഴിയും. നഗരത്തിലെ ബസ് റൂട്ടുകള്* നിശ്ചയിക്കാനും നിയന്ത്രിക്കാനും അധികാരമുള്ള ഇൌ ഏജന്*സിക്കു നഗരത്തിലെ തിരക്കു പരിഗണിച്ചു സര്*വീസുകള്* ക്രമീകരിക്കാന്* കഴിയും. ഇപ്പോള്* തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തു നിന്നാണു കൊച്ചിയിലെ കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി ബസുകള്* സംബന്ധിച്ച തീരുമാനം വരേണ്ടത്.

കേന്ദ്ര നഗരനവീകരണ പദ്ധതിയില്* ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള എസി, നോണ്* എസി ലോ ഫ്ലോര്* ബസുകള്* മറ്റു നഗരങ്ങളില്* മെട്രോപ്പൊലിറ്റന്* ട്രാന്*സ്പോര്*ട്ട് അതോറിറ്റിയാണു നടത്തുന്നത്. തിരുവനന്തപുരത്തും കൊച്ചിയിലും ഇതിന്റെ നടത്തിപ്പു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസിയെ ഏല്*പ്പിച്ചിരിക്കുകയാണ്. കൊച്ചിയില്* മാത്രം 150 ബസുകളോളം ഇൌ വിഭാഗത്തില്* ലഭിച്ചിട്ടും രാത്രി സിറ്റി സര്*വീസ് നടത്താന്* ബസ് ഇല്ലെന്നാണു കെഎസ്ആര്*ടിസി പറയുന്നത്.

According to the central urban transport policy, cities with more than one million population needs a metropolitan transport authority to co-ordinate public transportation. Mayor Tony Chamminy has proposed to elevate VMH to the status of Metropolitan Transport Authority.

Currently, the decisions on the transportation are taken by KSRTC at the capital. The Metropolitan Transport Authority will be able to manage the bus routes as needed.

[DileepKS]