THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: To address the demands of patients and staff travelling to the Medical College Hospital (MCH), KSRTC has decided to start direct services to from January 27. There will be 21 bus services in the morning and evening from various depots, said a statement from KSRTC.
Schedules have been prepared to help the public to reach the hospital before the outpatient services (OP) start. The KSRTC fleet on 'Hospital Service' will take passengers to the OP counter of the MCH till 7 am.
The Medical College compound houses other institutes such as the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), SAT Hospital, besides numerous private hospital in the vicinity.
The bus services start at 6am from Parassala, Neyyattinkara, Kattakada, Nedumangad, Vithura, Kulathupuzha, Aryankavu, Vellanadu, Vellarada, Poovar, Vizhinjam, Venjarammoodu, Attingal, Kaniyapuram and Palode.
Return trips will start between 11am and 3pm from the central depot to Parassala, Neyyattinkara, Kattakada and Nedumangad, with a 15-minute interval. KSRTC will also operate a ‘medical college’ bus service from East Fort via Thampanoor bus terminal.
The decision follows a study by Cusat’s School of Management Studies which found that a lot of people attending OP services at 7am depend on private vehicles due to lack of public transport. Only 50 per cent of people going to hospital depend on KSRTC, said the study.
"Those using KSRTC services from far-off locations have to change buses at East Fort or Thampanoor to reach the MCH. The inconvenience can be avoided with direct services," KSRTC CMD Biju Prabhakar said in the statement.
