KOCHI: Angamaly KSRTC bus station, a vital transit point for thousands travelling through Ernakulam district, is rapidly degenerating into a hub of petty crime and destitution, sparking loud calls for immediate restoration of the police aid post there. It had become dysfunctional during the Covid days.
The once-bustling station, a modern facility built at considerable public expense, is now frequently described by commuters and employees as a “den of pickpockets”. The primary concern revolves around the alarming increase in petty theft and pickpocketing. Commuters, particularly those waiting for late-night buses, report being targeted with increasing regularity. The lack of a police aid post is cited as the main reason for the criminals’ brazenness.
“Until the Covid outbreak, the police aid post at the station served as a critical deterrent. Its shutdown has created a security vacuum that local anti-social elements and organised petty thieves have been quick to exploit,” said a KSRTC official on condition of anonymity.
“There are growing demands for immediate restoration and full operationalisation of the aid post to ensure the safety of travellers and their belongings,” he pointed out.
The KSRTC terminal is a five-story complex which also features a cellar floor for parking. The other floors are allocated for commercial use, like a multiplex and food court. However, it has faced issues with maintenance and upkeep. KSRTC initiated the shopping complex project in tie-up with the Kerala Transport Development Finance Corporation (KTDFC) back in 2008.
“The other day, Koratty Police nabbed a notorious criminal who was on the run for the past two years from the Angamaly bus stand. He used to come to the bus station to sleep through the night. While we tenants have financially aided the KTDFC in setting up six CCTV cameras, the miscreants have vandalised four of them, making round-the-clock surveillance difficult,” said a tenant who has leased out a shop.
Adding to the station’s woes is the escalating issue of its misuse as a night shelter. As dusk descends, the facility transforms. Several of the bus station’s quieter corners and unused platforms become makeshift homes for an increasing number of elderly and homeless individuals. While their plight evokes sympathy, their presence has led to a significant deterioration of the infrastructure.
“We understand the need for a shelter, but the station, which was built spending crores of taxpayer money, is now being systematically destroyed. These individuals are responsible for defacing walls, occupying seating areas, and littering, ultimately compromising the hygiene and public usability of the station,” said Angamaly municipal chairperson Sheo Paul. “The municipality doesn’t have a shelter facility. The state authorities need to provide an alternative shelter for the homeless while simultaneously safeguarding the public infrastructure. Only recently did the government announce the state as extreme poverty-free,” he said.
The paradox of the Angamaly bus station is stark: it is a modern, expensive piece of public infrastructure that is failing on two crucial fronts — security and maintenance. “First, an immediate security overhaul, starting with the reinstatement of the police aid post and increased patrolling, is necessary to curb the rising tide of theft. Second, the district administration, in collaboration with the social justice department, must urgently address the issue of the elderly and homeless sheltering in the station by providing suitable, dignified alternative accommodation,” the KSRTC official pointed out.