KOCHI: A major transit point in the district, which thousands of passengers depend on daily for their journeys to different parts of the state, the renovated Ernakulam KSRTC bus depot is now plagued by poor maintenance of its surroundings.
It was in March that the then transport minister K B Ganesh Kumar inaugurated the renovated bus station that earlier suffered from severe waterlogging. As part of the revamp, the floor was raised and the premises paved with tiles. Although such measures have helped avoid waterlogging to an extend, the lack of timely maintenance of the same has taken the charm off the vital public space.
“The drainage canal at the bus depot is completely clogged,” said Sujith Sivaraman, a social activist and the joint secretary of Ernakulam District Residents Associations Apex Council-North Zone.
“Plastic bottles and covers have remained stuck with the water in the canal, making the whole surrounding prone to contamination. If rain continues and the canal remains clogged, this water will enter the bus station, turning all the renovation purposeless.”
He urged the KSRTC authorities and the Kochi corporation to take steps to unclog the canal to prevent the surroundings, including the Karikkamuri area, from getting waterlogged during rainy days.
Besides, poor upkeep of the area around the bus station has resulted in an overgrowth of shrubs, posing risks to the public. Even parts of the bus parking lot are filled with shrubs, just a few months into the renovation.
“It is true the building was renovated, but to what purpose if the surroundings are not maintained properly. The interiors of stalls in the building are also in a pathetic condition, with grills broken and floors full of litter,” Sujith added.
Passengers also complained about poor lighting in some parts of the bus station even as the visible, prime spots were lit up with newly installed LED lamps.
The KSRTC bus station was renovated at a cost of around Rs 1.88 crore, with new seating facilities, ramp for people with disabilities, AC waiting room and an exclusive ladies AC waiting room, among others, coming up there.