KOCHI: The proposed draft scheme by the Kerala State Transport Department regarding city entry for Vypeen buses has raised concerns as it primarily focuses on nationalising the route and does not address the entry of private buses from the Vypeen region into the city.
This has led to discussions and debates, with some suggesting that the government intends to replace private buses with KSRTC buses in the Vypeen region.
Antony B J, a retired senior deputy transport commissioner, pointed out that the draft scheme, prepared under Section 99 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, does not mention the entry of private buses from Vypeen to the city, which is the main demand of the islanders.
“Section 99 refers to the exclusion of private buses from a route and their transfer to the state transportation undertaking. There is no clarity on how this scheme will meet the demands of the islanders,” he said.
According to the proposed scheme, a 36-km route between Paravoor KSRTC bus station and Vyttila hub, passing through Cherai, Bolgatty junction, High Court junction, Jetty bus stand, and Kadavanthra, is set to be nationalised.
“If imposed, this move would effectively exclude private operators from accessing Ernakulam city, as the scheme imposes a 25-km cap on route overlaps. By imposing restrictions on route overlaps, the scheme prevents these buses from reaching crucial destinations beyond High Court junction. This restriction significantly affects private buses from Munambam, Cherai and Vypeen, as reaching areas like Vyttila and Kakkanad would require them to travel more than the permitted 25 km on the nationalised route,” says Lizbeth Jibi Godwin, research associate at CPPR, in her report titled ‘Unresolved Vypeen bus issue continues to plague islanders’.
“The notification does not cater to the islanders’ demand but was rather a move to monopolise the route for KSRTC,” she added.
Vypeen MLA K N Unnikrishnan said the government has received 70 complaints regarding the draft scheme so far. A hearing will be conducted on July 26 in Thiruvananthapuram to address these complaints, and a decision will be made based on the discussions.
“The route between Cheranalloor Junction and Bolgatty Junction is nationalised, and only KSRTC operates service. Private buses coming from the Paravoor side do not have entry to Bolgatty after the Cheranalloor signal point. These buses can head to Kalamassery or Aluva. Similarly, routes will be diverted even if the scheme is imposed, and bus entry will be made from the Vypeen region,” said Unnikrishnan.
Majority rely on private buses
A survey conducted by the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) in 2022 revealed that approximately 82 per cent of bus passengers from Vypeen rely on private buses as their mode of transport to Ernakulam city from High Court Junction