Blaming the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation for the poor management of AC-low floor buses in the
city, the Corporation authorities said the situation is the result of not following the guidelines issued by the Jawaharalal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
As per the JNNURM norms, it is mandatory to form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for running these buses in the city. “The buses are now fully operated by the KSRTC. The Corporation has been sidelined and they do not have any say in the management of the buses, which is against the JNNURM rules. Remember, it is through the Corporation that the funds were channelised for the project under the Urban Transportation scheme,” said a top Corporation official.
The buses were allotted as per a detailed project report (DPR) submitted by the Corporation. “The DPR was prepared by NATPAC and it clearly specifies the need for setting up an SPV, the company, which will manage the services. But that did not happen,” he said.
The official also pointed out that similar companies were managing bus services in nearly 50 Municipal Corporations in the country.
“The Corporation is the authorised body to prepare the route map. The then Council, two years ago, had prepared a route map, approved it and submitted to the government. But it was not considered, and the government had decided to entrust the management of the buses with KSRTC,” the official said.
The bus service, which was actually allotted to conduct services within the city limits, was later extended to all parts of the district like Angamaly, Muvattupuzha and Perumbavoor. With the UDF coming back to power in the state and getting a majority in the Corporation council too, it was expected that an SPV will be formed for controlling the operation of low-floor AC buses and semi-low floor buses in the city.
“Without proper management, we fear that the buses will soon be seen rusting in the garages,” the official said.
A total of 42 Volvo buses were introduced in the city out of which nine buses are not conducting services now.
Source: New Indian Express
If these buses were limited to only the city limits (which is pretty tiny), the state of affairs would have been even terrible.
As per original plan, Kochi was to get 50 Low floor buses, 120 Semi Low Floor buses and 30 Mini buses as per JNNURM project. But probably due to KSRTC’s intervention, Mini buses were dumped in favour of boats! As of now, Kochi will not get either the mini buses or boats under JNNURM project. Presently, 42 Volvos & 117 odd SLF buses are in operation(saw JNK 167 allotted to KMGM depot a while back). There seems to be some delay with regard to payment for Volvo buses and hence there is no clarity on when the remaining buses will come. But what the people of Kochi Corporation area gained of this ambitious project under JNNURM is anybody’s guess. Do you have improved connectivity from VMH? Do you have new bus services to emerging/developing residential areas within city limits? Do you have public transport facility late into the night? Ironically, the answer is a big NO!!
8 more volvos have arrived at Central Workshop TVM. Most probably for Kochi
The actual route prepared was only for city services & it got extended even to Piravom, Kothamangalam.. Its high time to re-structure the services at least limiting to Aroor , Angamaly , Puthercruz , Kakkanad as the farthest destinations.. Need to focus more on city routes including late night services with VOLVO , LF..
if Muvattupuzha district will be formed, Kochi’s Jnnurm Buses will be saved from being put on services in kothamangalam and muvattupuzha taluka.