KOCHI: With the newly-introduced Metro Connect services evoking a good response, the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is set to deploy the fully air-conditioned e-feeder buses in two more city circular routes – High Court-MG Road and Kadavanthra-KP Vallon Road – from next week.
The High Court-MG Road circular service will provide the much-needed connectivity from MG Road and Maharaja’s College metro stations to the High Court water metro terminal, providing commuters with quick travel options.
“The High Court-MG Road circular service will be the first to start, likely on March 5. The Kadavanthra-KP Vallon Road service will begin a few days after that,” a senior KMRL official told TNIE.
The Ernakulam District Residents’ Associations’ Apex Council (EDRAAC) have welcomed the initiative, especially the High Court circular route. “Now, those proceeding to Fort Kochi can arrive by the metro train and take the e-feeder bus to reach the High Court water metro terminal and catch a boat,” EDRAAC president P Rangadasa Prabhu said.
Similarly, those arriving in metro boats can reach the MG Road metro station quickly and avail the train services to both Aluva and Tripunithura directions, he pointed out. KMRL introduced the 33-seater electric buses on January 15, deploying them on the Aluva-Airport, Kalamassery-Medical College, Kalamassery-CUSAT, Kalamassery-Infopark, and Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark-Collectorate routes. KMRL has so far deployed nine e-feeder buses out of the 15 it purchased.
“Over one lakh commuters have availed of the facility in the past 40 days. The cumulative average daily ridership of the e-feeder bus services has now touched 3,000. Even on the Infopark route, the daily ridership has risen to 220 commuters per bus from the initial 40,” the KMRL official said.
Three buses will be deployed on the High Court circular route. The service will start from High Court water metro terminal and proceed via Madhava Pharmacy Junction, MG Road metro station, Maharaja’s metro station, and General Hospital to return to the High Court water metro terminal.
Metro Connect services are available in the Aluva-Airport section from 6.45am to 11pm at an interval of 20 minutes during peak hours and at 30 minutes during non-peak hours. The ticket fare is 180.
New routes: High Court-MG Road and Kadavanthra-KP Vallon circular routes
Fare: E20 for 5 km
Timings: 8am to 8pm at an interval of 20 minutes
Cumulative average daily ridership on existing routes: 3,000