KOCHI: Here is happy news for hundreds of techies who arrive at Tripunithura by trains from nearby satellite towns en route to their workplace. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is now geared up to operate ‘point-to-point’ contract carriage services connecting the Tripunithura metro station with the Infopark.
“The service will have no stops in between other than at the Kakkanad metro station, Infopark Phase 1 and Phase 2. We’ve invited applications from private entities/individuals to issue the feeder service licence, which will have a validity of six months,” said a senior KMRL official.
A fixed rate of Rs 60 per individual will be charged for the air-conditioned services along the route. “The operator needs to run the services in the morning and evening during the peak hours six days a week, except Sundays. It will cater to the commuters travelling to the Tripunithura metro station and back.
Furthermore, the feeder service provider shall not compete with the e-bus operating between Kakkanad/Kakkanad Water Metro and Infopark Phase 1 and 2 by picking up and dropping off passengers travelling within the same sector. The issuance of feeder licence shall be on a first come-first serve basis,” the official added.
The operators will be extended a limited parking facility from 9 pm to 7 am at select stations, but the same will be restricted to the vehicles conducting the service operations. However, the KMRL shall not provide provision for opportunity charging at any metro station location/premise.
The KMRL has its hands full with the deployment of the e-feeder services. Out of the 15 AC e-buses acquired, it has already deployed 13, while two are kept as reserves. It intends to deploy its own buses in one more route — Kadavanthra-Panampilly Nagar circular route.
“To provide its commuters seamless, sustainable, environment friendly, comfortable, safe and affordable connectivity options, the KMRL calls for OEM/ Aggregator/ Society/ Individual to provide e-buses and/or CNG buses (contract carriage) to be operated as feeder services on the Tripunithura Metro station-Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark Phase 1&2,” the ‘Call for Application for Feeder buses’ issued by the KMRL reads.
The development comes even as both the residents of the town and the techies have demanded connectivity from the Tripunithura Terminal Metro station, lying in close proximity with the railway station. “We welcome the initiative as a substantial number of techies will be benefited by the planned services connecting the Infopark and the Tripunithura metro station,” said Anish Panthalani of the Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural organisation of techies based on the IT parks of Kerala.“We’re happy that the KMRL considered our request.
TRURA (Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents’ Association) had submitted a memorandum to the KMRL, seeking feeder connectivity from Tripunithura Metro station. "The metro station is the only one which is not located in an NH or PWD stretch. The commuters are facing the last mile connectivity issue here, as one has to go on foot a good 700 metres to reach the nearest bus stop. Feeder services will prove much beneficial to both metro and railway commuters,” said V C Jayendran, Convenor, TRURA, an apex council of nearly 140 residents associations.
The ‘Metro Connect’ e-feeder buses introduced by the KMRL are evoking good response with over two lakh commuters availing the air-conditioned facility in nearly two months. The KMRL introduced the 33-seater electric buses first on January 16, deploying them in the Aluva-Airport, Kalamassery-Medical College, Kalamassery-CUSAT, Kalamassery-Infopark, the Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark-Collectorate and the High Court-MG Road circular routes. The average daily ridership is 1,350 in Aluva-Airport route, 730 in Kalamassery-Medical College route, and 890 in Infopark route. The fare is Rs 20 for a 5-km distance.
Easing the commute
A fixed rate of Rs 60 per individual will be charged for the A/C services along the route
Will cater to the commuters travelling to the Tripunithura metro station and back
The proposed service will run in the morning and evening during the peak hours six days a week
