KOCHI: Even as the hapless commuters are looking at askance trying to figure out a viable mode of conveyance in the wake of the continuing private bus strike, by a curious irony the operators of the alternate modes of transport here are laughing all the way to the bank.
The cash-strapped KSRTC raked in a record collection of nearly `30 lakh in the last four days. Besides, the public transporter has gone out of the way to alleviate the woes of the travelling public by operating special services on all routes in every district citing the demand from commuters in these areas.The Kochi Metro was not to be left behind, netting `12 lakh on Sunday and close to `20 lakh in the first 48 hours of the private bus stir.
"On normal days, the number of riders surpass 20,000 and the collection is around `7 lakh," said a spokesperson of KMRL The autorickshaw drivers are also getting more trips now with the passengers left with little option as the online taxi services charge 'surge' rates during the rush hour. The online taxi services are also milking the situation for all its financial worth as the surge rates, which are usually restricted to the rush hour, now becoming the norm. Charges soar as high as `125 for a mere 3 km, with the waiting time needed for the hailed cab to arrive taking upto 10 minutes. The water transport in the city also saw a rise in the number of passengers. The people in the Vypeen -Fort Kochi areas are dependent on buses and they have been in a fix on account of the strike.
“Usually we have a daily collection of `42,000. Since the indefinite strike began we have seen an increase of `5,000- 6,000 daily in the last four days,” Sujith M, Traffic Superintendent, State Water Transport Department.
Railways to rescue of harried commuters
Kochi: With no end in sight to the private bus strike, harried commuters on Monday were forced to rely on other modes of conveyance. Consequently, a heavy rush was witnessed in the both both the passenger and express trains. The Thiruvananthapuram Central- Shoranur Junction Venad Express, widely preferred by succeeding generations of Rail commuters, saw an unprecedented rise in the ridership, with every square inch being occupied. According to Maya employed in a city-based private firm, the train is usually full every Monday. "But due to the private bus strike, the train was packed to capacity," she said. On Friday and Saturday, both Venad and Palaruvi were jam-packed during the return trip, said Jaya, who works at a private hospital. "People clambered into even the overhead luggage racks," she said. A sizeable number of people commute to work daily between Kottayam and Ernakulam. The commuters are finding it difficult to reach their destinations especially, in areas where the trains don't halt.
Woman seriously hurt as KSRTC bus rams bunk shop
Kochi: One person was seriously injured when a KSRTC low- floor bus rammed a bunk shop in front of the Thrikkakara Municipality on Monday. Manju Praveena, 36, who runs the shop, has been admitted to a private hospital at Kakkanad. Though seven passengers suffered minor injuries, they were discharged after being given first aid. According to the people, the incident took place around 10 am. " While negotiating the sharp curve the driver lost control of the bus and rammed the wayside shop. Brake failure is believed to have resulted in the accident," said the owner of a shop nearby. Following the accident, the traffic through the route was disrupted for several hours. It was only after the fire and rescue team removed the bus using a crane the movement of vehicles could be restored. " The condition of the woman is critical as she has suffered a spinal injury. We are planning to arrange some financial help for the woman as she is from a poor family. A meeting will be held with the District Collector in this regard," said P T Thomas MLA who visited Manju in hospital.
Rights panel's fiat on bus stir
Kochi: The Kerala State Human Rights Commission(KSHRC) on Monday issued an order instructing the government to take effective steps to avoid inconvenience to the public on account of the ongoing private bus strike. The order was issued in accordance with a petition filed on the same. The Chief Secretary and Transport Secretary were directed to file a report before the panel within two weeks.