KOCHI: The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) report recommending the entry of private buses from Vypeen into Kochi city beyond the High Court Junction was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Transport Minister Antony Raju in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
At the meeting called on the request of MLA K N Unnikrishnan, the minister accepted the report and directed officials to take further action immediately. He also directed the transport secretary to rectify the technical defects pointed out in the NATPAC report and submit a report by July 30.“Unnikrishnan’s efforts at various levels, including in the assembly, to allow the entry of buses into the city areas, should be made possible at the earliest,” said Raju.
The basic requirement of the residents of Vypeen is to have private bus access to the city. “According to the NATPAC report, it aims to make urban travel much easier for islanders. Its study showed 64% of those who currently commute to the city daily are willing to rely on public transport services if buses are allowed to enter the city areas,” said Unnikrishnan. “This will lead to a reduction in travel cost, fuel consumption and carbon emission. The number of private vehicles, including two-wheelers, reaching the city will be reduced,” he added.
According to the government order regulating traffic, private buses from Vypeen halt services at the High Court Junction without entering the city centres. Considering the increasing demand by the people, NATPAC conducted a detailed study as requested by the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA).