KOCHI: The lack of public transportation from major airports in the state during night is a perennial issue even as most of the key flights to and fro are either at early morning or late night. This often forces flyers to arrive much early at the airports or hire taxis, often spending a hefty sum. Those flying in at odd hours too struggle to avail affordable transport modes for last mile connectivity.
All these would be a thing of the past soon, with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) planning to deploy new AC Sleeper buses, initially at the Kochi airport before expanding to other airports. The highlight of the services will be that the buses won’t have scheduled departure timings and will leave only after the flights arrive.
“Currently, there is no night connectivity to airports. The KSRTC will operate AC Sleeper buses having sufficient luggage space for the benefit of air passengers flying out or arriving in these night flights. There will be no specific departure timing for the buses and the same would be coordinated with flight timings. That means, if the flight arrives late, the buses will wait at the airport,” Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar told TNIE.
The corporation would soon place orders for 30 buses, with more luggage space, on the model of the recently-introduced premium superclass buses.
“We’re waiting for the next government aid to place the orders for the buses. They will be deployed at the Kochi airport as soon as the buses start arriving. The services will be mainly to destinations in Malabar and those in central Kerala like Kottayam, Tiruvalla and Pathanamthitta,” the minister pointed out.
Earlier, a team of KSRTC officials led by the Ernakulam district transport officer held talks with the CIAL authorities on providing airport connectivity, after the corporation was forced to stop a majority of its low-floor AC buses operating to Nedumbassery airport post Covid.
The corporation then planned to tie-up with the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd and operated electric feeder buses in the Aluva-Nedumbassery section. However, both sides couldn’t reach a consensus over profit-sharing, ultimately leading to dropping of the project. Now, the KMRL has purchased 15 electric feeder buses and is set to deploy them in various routes.
“The feeder buses are undergoing registration and testing, and will be deployed for services soon. The buses will connect the airport (Aluva to airport), medical college (Kalamassery-Medical College), Infopark (Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark) and other destinations which lack transportation facilities,” said a KMRL spokesperson.
Earlier during talks, the airport authorities agreed to allot a station master office at the airport for KSRTC, sources said. “At a later stage, a facility will be introduced where the air passengers can also book KSRTC AC Sleeper buses along with booking the flights,” a senior KSRTC official added.