Commuters are demanding introduction of point-to-point and other bus services to neighbouring districts and beyond since neither the Railways nor the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is able to cater to the demand for inter-district travel to and from Ernakulam.
This has come against the backdrop of the Transport department curbing the operation of private buses beyond 140 km from their starting point earlier this year and the recent clampdown by Motor Vehicles department (MVD) personnel against buses with All India Tourist Permit that operate across districts. “The plight of most so-called super-class buses of the KSRTC that operate inter-district trips is pitiable, while a bulk of them have failed to adhere to their scheduled running time,” said Sumesh K.S., an IT professional and a native of Thrissur who frequently commute to Ernakulam in public transport buses. “Travelling in rickety KSRTC buses on the Thrissur-Ernakulam route was a rude shock for me since most buses and bus depots in Bengaluru where I worked for seven years are much better maintained,” he added.
“Such issues and frequent trip cancellations without notice often prompt many like me to depend on cars and trains to commute to Ernakulam and back. Having arrived by train in Thrissur, I ended up paying ₹180 to autos for a six-km distance to my house. The KSRTC has miserably failed to live up to expectations, despite enjoying monopoly in nationalised routes,” he said.
Businessman Pritto Paul, who travels on the Kottayam-Ernakulam route, said commuters were forced to travel in the KSRTC’s ageing and ill-maintained Superfast buses. “Most people prefer private buses since they are better maintained and charge less than the KSRTC’s super-class and fast passenger buses,” he said. “The barrage of two-wheelers and cars bearing registration number KL-42 and KL-32 that gush into the city in the morning and return during evening from Paravur and Cherthala is proof of inadequate bus and train services from Ernakulam to neighbouring districts and towns,” said Ramesh Mathew, a city resident.
