KOCHI: Though the state government issued a draft notification allowing the entry of buses from Vypeen island to mainland Kochi, a city-based think-tank on Tuesday said the step is intended to nationalise the route, which will not serve the interest of islanders.
The Centre for Public Policy Research said the draft notification issued by the transport department on the pretext of allowing city entry for Vypeen buses is nothing but a move to nationalise the route. The draft notification released by the government on May 17 makes no mention of permitting the entry of private buses into the city. Instead, the scheme mentions the nationalisation of a 36-km route between Paravoor KSRTC bus station and Vytilla hub via Cherai, Bolgatty junction, High Court junction, Jetty bus stand, and Kadavanthra.
“If the scheme comes into effect, private buses will not be able to operate on that route against the notification. However, buses with existing permits can operate until the permits expire,” said CPPR, in a report. The think-tank has conveyed its objections to the draft notification to the state transport department. Those who have objections regarding the draft notification should inform the government of their objection by June 16, 2023.
Published under Section 99 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the draft scheme states Rule 236 of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. The provisions enable the state government to propose a road transport scheme that allows state transport undertakings to operate in a particular area or route while completely or partially excluding other operators.
“The state government can The state government can propose such a scheme when it considers it ‘necessary in the public interest to provide an efficient, adequate, economical, and properly coordinated road transport service’. While the public interest in Vypeen’s case is the entry of private buses into the city, the draft notification only says that it is to ensure an ‘efficient and adequate transport system’,” the report says. Nationalising the Vypeen route will have far-reaching consequences on residents in Vypeen Islands, who have been demanding increased access to Ernakulam city for more than 18 years since the opening of the Goshree bridge in 2004. The scheme will effectively block private operators from entering the city as it imposes a 25-km cap on the route length that can be overlapped by private operators on the nationalised route.
Overlapping implies that private operators can also operate on the route that has been nationalised. In the said case, the permitted overlap of 25 km will affect private buses from Munambam, Cherai, and Vypeen.
At present, High Court Junction lies at a 25-km distance from most of the main areas in Vypeen. Reaching Vytilla and Kakkanad necessitates that private buses travel over 25 km on the nationalised route, which is not permitted under the draft scheme, thus restricting the entry of private buses into the city. Further, since an overlap on the route between Paravoor and Cherai is not allowed, private buses from Paravoor will also be constrained from entering the city. The draft notification not only prevents the entry of private buses into the city but will also lead to the suspension of existing services.