KOCHI: The ‘Point-to-Point’ AC feeder bus service connecting Tripunithura metro station and Infopark, long-drawn demand of techies, has kicked off operations on Thursday. The response in the two days since the launch has been “encouraging”.
“We’ve started operating AC CNG buses on the route. The first trip from Tripunithura metro station is at 7.40 am while the last trip from Infopark is at 7.15 pm. A flat rate of Rs 60 per person is being charged,” Antony B J, MD, Kleen Smart Bus Ltd (KSBL), told TNIE. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) had awarded the licence, valid for six months, to the KSBL following an open tendering process.
Daily, hundreds of techies arrive at Tripunithura railway station from nearby satellite towns to reach their workplace. “Currently just a single bus is in operation, and we plan to deploy more based on the demand. However, the condition that the licence is provided only to costly electric or CNG buses is a challenge,” the official said. The service will have three stops – Kakkanad Metro Station, Infopark Phase 1 and Phase 2.
“The operator needs to run the services mainly during morning and evening peak hours six days a week (weekdays and Saturday) for commuters travelling to Tripunithura metro station and back. The licences are being awarded to private operators as part of efforts to ensure first and last-mile connectivity. There are plans to acquire 20 more e-feeder buses,” a KMRL official said.
Meanwhile, the KMRL is currently busy deploying e-feeder services. Of the 15 AC e-buses acquired, it have been deployed 13, while two have been kept as reserves. It intends to deploy its own buses on one more route – Kadavanthra-Panampilly Nagar circular route.“We welcome the initiative as it will benefit a substantial number of techies,” said Anish Panthalani of Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural organisation for techies based in the state’s IT parks.
“We are happy KMRL considered our request. We had submitted a memorandum to the KMRL, seeking feeder connectivity from Tripunithura metro station, the only one not located on an NH or PWD road stretch. Commuters face last-mile connectivity issue here; they have to walk a good 700m to the nearest bus stop. The feeder service is beneficial for both metro and railway commuters,” said V C Jayendran, convenor, TRURA (Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents’ Association), an apex council of nearly 140 residents associations.
Metro Connect a smash hit
The ‘Metro Connect’ e-feeder buses introduced by KMRL are also getting good response, especially on the Aluva-Airport route. It introduced the 33-seater electric buses on January 16, on the Aluva-Airport, Kalamassery-Medical College, Kalamassery-CUSAT, Kalamassery-Infopark, Kakkanad water metro terminal-Infopark-Collectorate and the High Court-MG Road circular routes.