KOCHI: For regular commuters of the only bus plying in the Cherthala-Muvattupuzha section, the debilitating condition of the KSRTC bus used for the service has turned into a major worry, especially with the vehicle suffering multiple breakdowns in recent weeks.
Now, the worried commuters have submitted a strongly-worded memorandum to the KSRTC authorities, pleading for an immediate replacement of the current bus, which they deem “unsafe” and “debilitating”.
The service connects the two towns along a significant stretch, covering approximately 70 kilometres one way, and is the primary lifeline for hundreds of daily passengers, including students, office-goers, and traders.
“The reliability of the key service has plummeted, despite the bus having a dedicated ridership. Often, the bus runs behind schedule. There have been days when the service was suddenly cancelled, leaving commuters high and dry,” said Neethu Vineesh, a resident of Pattukulangara and a lecturer at a Muvattupuzha-based college.
The core of the commuters’ grievance centres on the state of the bus deployed on the route.
“The engine constantly emits a terrible grinding sound and the amount of black smoke billowing from the exhaust is a clear indication of the bus’ poor mechanical health. Every trip now feels like a gamble on whether we will actually reach our destination on time, or at all,” said Durga K S, a health official at the Muvattupuzha General Hospital.
The bus ‘RAE 516’ starts from Cherthala at 6.35 am and proceeds via Aroor, Kundannoor, Tripunithura, and Kolenchery to reach Muvattupuzha. While the scheduled arrival time is 9 am, the bus is often late by up to 30 minutes. It then returns to Cherthala. One more trip is operated in the evening to Muvattupuzha and back.
Meanwhile, the regular passengers have collected signatures and prepared a strongly-worded memorandum, seeking an upgrade to the high-demand service from ‘Ordinary’ to ‘Limited Stop’.
“With the bus running behind schedule, most of us reach late at our workplace. Since the bus traverses over 70 kilometres in one direction, it should at least be made a Limited Stop service. Currently, it takes over two and a half hours for the bus to reach Muvattupuzha, while halting at a number of stops,” said Savitha R, who prepared the memorandum and collected the signatures.
The memorandum will be handed over to the assistant transport officer, Cherthala, on Tuesday.
This collective action highlights the shared, daily struggle against an outdated vehicle that is clearly struggling to manage the demands of the long-distance route. Commuters emphasise that repeated technical failures are not merely inconveniences.