KOCHI: The High Court on Wednesday directed KSRTC not to insist on taking two-way tickets from Nilakkal to Pampa. The court held that such an option must be given to the pilgrims.
The HC-appointed observers told court that KSRTC was insisting pilgrims on taking return tickets. If one loses the return ticket after having darshan at Sannidhanam, he would be compelled to take a ticket again from Pampa to Nilakkal.
This is an unjust enrichment for the KSRTC, the observers said. Though the validity for such tickets was for only 48 hours, the corporation later withdrew this time-limit.
The observers’ report pointed out that the fare of `75 from Nilakkal to Pampa per passenger in AC buses, as against Rs 40, in ordinary bus appears too high.
The Special Police Officer suggested drop and pick-up point of buses at Pampa be shifted to the to south of Thriveni junction as the present point at the U-turn makes the road congested and overcrowded. The court accepted the suggestion.
The report said the forest department has taken steps to prevent animal attack by constituting elephant squad and recruiting snake catchers. The deputy director of Periyar Tiger Reserve explained that ferocious wild boars would be tranquillised with the help of the elephant squad and translocated.
The report also referred the allotment of land to the KSRTC bus depot at Pampa. This should be looked into by the stakeholder, it said. Ranny forest department informed that space has been allotted to install toilets along Elavunkal-Pampa road to avoid open defecation. The court directed that food safety officers must continue to check materials procured for producing Appam and Aravana.