Kochi: The residents of Vypeen and other coastal areas are out with a campaign demanding direct city services to destinations such as Kaloor and Vytilla Hub even as collector K. Muhammed Y. Safirulla asked the regional transport officer to consider the demand. Over 200 private buses from the coastal areas stop their services at High Court Junction. Hundreds of commuters from seven panchayats – Elankunnapuzha, Njarackal, Mulavikad, Nayarambalam, Edavanakad, Kuzhupilli and Pallippuram, are affected as the residents have to board another bus to reach city main centres.
The district collector has directed the RTO to identify an agency for conducting a study on whether the city roads could handle the increased traffic if the private buses from the Goshree Islands are allowed direct entry to the city. Allowing entry of private buses from Goshree Islands into city needs amendment to a notification issued by the government in 2009, which restricts the services till High Court Junction. “People from all parts of the district should have direct access to city centres, and in keeping with this principle, we’re initiating a process to get the government notification amended,” Mr Safirulla said.
This comes even as the district administration is set to rework schedules of public transport in the wake of commissioning of the Kochi Metro. “The issue will be discussed at next meeting of the regional transport authority when suggestions of all stakeholders will be considered,” collector said. Earlier the Island residents submitted a petition to the district collector and also started an online poll seeking support for plea to extend private bus services to Kaloor, Vytilla Mobility Hub, Kakkanad and Pallimukku.
