KOCHI: While the strategically-located five-storey shopping complex at Angamaly bus depot, built to augment the non-operational income of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), is finally enjoying a decent occupancy rate, the 30-odd tenants there are crying foul over the “lackadaisical attitude” of the authorities in maintaining the facility despite collecting a hefty amount every year towards its upkeep.
That, they say, is driving away potential customers and affecting the business of the 30 shops now functioning at the Angamaly bus terminal-cum-shopping complex.
“We cough up around 45 lakh per annum for maintenance alone. However, the facilities are not being maintained properly,” said Poly Kuriakose, president, Angamaly KSRTC Bus Terminal Shop Owners’ Association.
Of a total of eight lifts, only four are functioning, he pointed out.
“The cellar parking area is in a dilapidated condition and gets waterlogged quickly during heavy rains due to a lack of drainage facilities. The toilet facilities too are poorly maintained. Parking is another issue. With the parking space in front of the building given to the general public, our customers find it difficult to park their vehicles,” Poly said.
KSRTC initiated the shopping complex project in tandem with the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC), which was appointed the nodal agency for the project in 2008 by the then LDF government.
Four shopping complexes were built at Angamaly, Thampanoor, Tiruvalla and Kozhikode at Rs 204 crore. Almost half of the total commercial space at these buildings lay vacant for years, forcing the KTDFC to even slash the rent, from Rs 70 to Rs 40 per sq ft for the ground floor at Angamaly.
“The commercial space in the first, second, third and fourth levels at Angamaly were mostly lying vacant for years. The ground floor and the fifth floor were, however, nearly fully occupied. Now, a majority of the total one lakh sq ft have been rented out. Only around 3,000 sq ft area on the second floor lies unoccupied. But of late, prominent clients like Carnival Cinemas have opted out,” a source said.
Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar admitted that the facility, despite being located at a prominent location and enjoying a good footfall of customers, is not being properly maintained.
“The bus terminal featured big in our scheme of things and there were plans to make it an inter-transit hub. Recently, I visited the facility and felt sad at how it’s being maintained. Will be taking up the matter with the KTDFC, which is now entrusted with the shopping complexes,” Ganesh said.
Meanwhile, a top KTDFC official refuted the charges, though he admitted to the waterlogging issue.
“It’s true that the cellar area got flooded twice this year during heavy rains. The lifts are all working but we’re operating only four of them to avoid outside people misusing the same. We’ve also increased the strength of the cleaning staff to four, two months ago," the official said.
However, we couldn’t do anything against beggars and migrant labourers occupying the ground floor area since it’s also part of the bus stand. We’ve filed multiple complaints with the police. The only solution is to shelter such people, which the authorities are not doing. On the waste issue, we also need the cooperation of the tenants, who simply dump the same outside their rented space,” the official said, adding that the KTDFC is also squeezed for funds.
However, the tenants argued that they are doling out a huge rent, in addition to the maintenance fee. “We’re paying Rs 115 per sq ft (plus 18 per cent GST). They are also effecting a 15 per cent hike in rent every three years. So we want the facility to be maintained as per the standards of other malls,” said Poly, who owns ‘Sterling Appliances’.