KOCHI: What should have ideally been an infra hallmark of the city is today a spot of shame. The Vytilla Mobility Hub, a multimodal integrated transport centre, remains in a shoddy state despite several promises of upkeep. Thanks to metro connectivity (rail and water), thousands of commuters depend on this bus station. For starters, the condition of the roads leading to the hub is pathetic, pointing to a tale of neglect.
Officials have a standard response, like a stuck record: ‘It will be rectified at the earliest… we will begin the work soon.’
Understandably, the common man is frustrated. “There is no proper footpath. The access roads are congested, dotted with potholes,” says a regular commuter, Krishnadas Babu. “Look at how the premises are ill-maintained. And when it rains, waterlogging turns the whole place into a mucky mess.”
Vyttila councillor Sunitha Dixon, however, insists that repair work has indeed begun. “The corporation, Vyttila Mobility Hub Society, and Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) are following up on repair work,” she says. To ease the traffic congestion at Vytilla Junction, two new roads linking the hub have been planned, Sunita adds. “One road will enable easy access to the metro station, and the other will ensure free left to Tripunithura from the Kaniyampuzha side,” she explains.
“Moreover, the 300m-long exit road towards the Water Metro terminal is being renovated using CSML funds. Two culverts will be constructed on this road to prevent waterlogging on the hub premises. For this, the stretch needs to be closed for a month. We are also constructing a new drain network.”
On the lack of foresight about waterlogging, an official involved in the project points to the delay in obtaining permission to block the road and build culverts. “We are still awaiting clearance,” he says. “Meanwhile, the renovation work on the damaged roads is expected to finish by December.”
Speaking on a master plan for Vyttila, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden assures that a new KSRTC station will soon come up near the mobility hub following a ‘land swap’ deal. “Four acres of land where the current KSRTC bus station is situated has been handed over to the Vyttila Mobility Hub Society. In return, three acres adjacent to the hub has been given to KSRTC to construct a bus station,” he says.