KOCHI: Tourists! you are welcome. But please no proper parking slot for your buses! Mattanchery, once famous as a business hub of the city, has no proper parking lot for tourist buses.
Tourist buses are being parked on either side of the road in front of the Pazhayannur Bhagavathy Temple. This often leads to traffic jams in the area.
Private buses operate more than 50 services to places like Kaloor, Aluva, Pookkattupady, Kakkanad, Edakochi and Perumbavoor from Mattanchery.
The KSRTC, too, operates Thiru-Kochi, low-floor and volvo services from Mattanchery. The buses operate their services from the open space in front of the temple, as the place lacks a bus stand.
Besides, there is no waiting shed for passengers. The Corporation Council had once decided to set up a waiting shed near the shops. But the proposal was thwarted by the Archaeological Survey of India office.
“The Council had decided to set up a waiting shed with the MLA fund available to it, but the Archaeology Department put a stay on the order. At present, we have set up a small shed for the passengers,” said K S Nivas, a shopkeeper.
The Archaeology Department said the developmental works being undertaken in the area should not damage the structure of the heritage site.
“Following the amendments made to the existing Ancient Monuments
Act, no new developmental activity can take place within 100 metres of the area from our place.
Besides, now an expert
committee will be formed under the Kerala Archaeological Department which is a
different body from that of the Archeological Survey of India,” the ASI official said.
Shopkeeper Jaleel S says, “There are so many areas here which are being developed, especially by traders, against the norms of the Archaeological Department. This is unfair. A waiting shed is necessary for passengers,”
Moreover, bathroom facility for the bus operators is being charged. A conductor of Seena Travels said: “There is a bathroom. But it is run by the Corporation and we have to pay everytime we want to use the bathroom.”
Asked about any other place which could be developed as a bus stand, the authorities said that there was no other land available in Mattanchery.
But, a resident said, “There are a few areas which have been remaining vacant for the past few years. For example, the court area near the Pazhayannur Temple. There is a plot behind the Galaxy Theatre which was once used as a parking lot for ex-servicemen’s buses,” he said. Bharat Khona, director, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mattanchery, said, “There is so much of land vacant on the temple premises. If the Cochin Devaswom Board allows, at least 30 cars can be parked in the area.”
Dominic Presentation, MLA, said, “The matter of a parking lot in Mattanchery is being looked into. Now we are eyeing an area in Thoppumpady for a bus stand.”
