Getting through Thampanoor during the evening rush has become a nightmare for commuters, particularly along the Model School-Aristo Junction stretch.
Congestion begins around 5pm on working days and often continues late into the night, affecting traffic from Panavila to Thampanoor.
Private long-distance buses parked along the roadside occupy almost an entire lane. KSRTC buses and other motorists must squeeze through what remains, and traffic slows to a crawl.
The problem began when private operators shifted their boarding point from Sangeetha College Road after it was closed for Smart Road construction. Even after the work was completed, they kept using the present stretch. Buses are often brought out of their parking yards well before departure and left at the roadside.
An everyday ordeal
“Travelling through this stretch during the evening hours is extremely difficult,” says Rajesh Kumar, a private-sector employee.
“Even if you have to cover a short distance, you end up spending a long time in traffic. The private buses are parked one after another. This has been going on for a long time, and it is high time the authorities found a permanent solution.”
Anjana S, a bank employee, points to added pressure from the railway station. “Whenever a major train arrives, the roads get crowded with vehicles coming to pick up and drop off passengers,” she says.
“With these private buses occupying an entire lane, the situation becomes even worse. When it rains, waterlogging makes it harder.”
Ashok K, a tourism professional, says seven compounds in and around the stretch offer daily-rent parking for private buses, yet some operators still use the roadside.
“Operators say they will leave once the passengers board. However, when passengers arrive late, the buses remain there. Families also bring their vehicles to drop them off,” he says.
Even ambulances, he adds, often get caught in the snarls. “The police intervene and warn the operators, and the situation improves for a few days. But soon, things return to the way they were. This has been a recurring problem,” he says.
Enchakkal plan back in focus
A long-pending proposal to shift long-distance bus operations to Enchakkal is back on the government’s agenda.
Transport Minister C P John recently announced that the state was fast-tracking the development of KSRTC land there into an integrated long-distance and interstate bus hub.
First mooted in 2004, the project is reportedly planned on 5.79 acres of KSRTC land alongside NH 66, close to the international airport.
Preliminary work has begun. “The hub will house KSRTC long-distance, private long-distance and interstate services, with dedicated parking and operational facilities,” says an official.
Anilkumar Pandala, former managing director of the Thiruvananthapuram Road Development Authority, says Enchakkal was part of a broader plan under the Thiruvananthapuram City Improvement Project.
“The first step was to shift the services from East Fort to Thampanoor, followed by moving inter-district services from Thampanoor to Enchakkal,” he says. “Since five acres are already available, it would be better to start interstate services from there.”
Relocation talks have raised concerns among those who depend on the passengers the buses bring. At least 18 travel agencies operate in Thampanoor, along with shops, lodges and taxi/auto-rickshaw services.
Thampanoor currently hosts buses to Wayanad, Kannur, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Velankanni, Mookambika, Puducherry, Manipal, Mangaluru and Coimbatore.
Auto driver Ajayan B says the arrival of trains, particularly the Vande Bharat Express, brings traffic to a standstill for nearly an hour. Private buses caused problems earlier, he says, but the situation has improved. “These buses bring us passengers,” he says.
Baiju Poovathur, who has run a shop near the stretch for two decades, echoes the sentiment. “Our livelihoods are linked to these buses,” he says.
Praveen Kumar V R, treasurer of the Travel Agencies’ Association, says the administration should first improve basic facilities. “Sangeetha College Road has been a boarding point for years, but there is no proper shelter for passengers, or adequate amenities such as toilets and cloakroom,” he says.
“We believe a properly equipped space within the city limits would be better than moving everything to Enchakkal.”
‘Engage all stakeholders’
Notably, questions are being raised on Enchakkal’s capacity to absorb more traffic. In an online discussion, a commuter notes: “It takes at least 30 minutes to cross the Enchakkal stretch from Technopark. Even if the flyover comes up, it may not ease the congestion.”
Anilkumar Pandala says interstate bus services should avoid busy public roads. “In other cities and countries, such activities do not happen in the city centre,” he points out.
“Allowing buses to operate from busy roads is something one would see only in Thiruvananthapuram. It reflects an underdeveloped city.”
If a stand is needed near Aristo Junction, he adds, the parade ground near the Cantonment Police Commissioner’s Office could be considered. Access to the terminal, he says, should be designed properly, with facilities planned around public needs.
P Jayadevan Nair, president of the Fraternity of Residents’ Associations Thiruvananthapuram, agrees, adding that he has submitted a representation to the transport minister seeking a dedicated stand for private long-distance buses.
“I do not think finding a suitable space would be that difficult in the city,” he says. “Enchakkal was planned long ago. There has been a long delay. Engage all stakeholders for a detailed discussion.”