KOCHI: Following up on the successful initiative of the Kochi Public Transport Day in January, the city is gearing up for its second edition at the Vyttila Mobility Hub on Wednesday.Of the hundreds of buses and autorickshaws, dozens of boats and ferries and the metro rail crisscrossing the city, the transport staff forms the supporting system. In the month of March, the Kochi Public Transport Day will be celebrating the transport staff of the city who play an important part in commuters’ travel experience.
Through various activities at the hub, the campaign will encourage commuters to show their understanding, respect and appreciation towards public transport workers who work tirelessly on a daily basis, the organisers said in a statement.Kochi Corporation Welfare Standing Committee chairman A B Sabu will inaugurate the event in the presence of government officials, public transport stakeholders and civil society members.
The Kochi Public Transport Day is envisaged as a year-long campaign to encourage the use of public transport and to study existing gaps in Kochi’s public transport systems. One day every month will be designated as the Kochi Public Transport Day, with a different theme assigned for each month.
A dedicated and informative website, public forums and discussions, as well as competitions directed at school and college students, are planned in addition to various other activities to create awareness, encourage and to attract Kochiites towards using public transport.Launched on January 27, the Kochi Public Transport Day initiative received a huge response from the public, with supporters wearing a ‘blue ribbon’ to express solidarity and support to the campaign.