KOCHI: Ernakulam’s District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is planning to develop ‘all-night spots’ on the lines of the Manaveeyam Veedhi in the state capital. And the proposal has reinforced the growing demand to deploy open-roof double-decker buses that Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar had recently promised the city.
“We’re planning to develop ‘cultural night spots’ on the lines of the one in Thiruvananthapuram. The places under consideration are Munambam and Marine Drive. However, this would require GCDA (Greater Cochin Development Authority) to allot the required space,” DTPC secretary Satheesh Miranda told TNIE.
The minister had recently promised to introduce open-roof double-decker buses in Ernakulam for tourist operations, on the lines of the successful city tour rides in the state capital.
“The plan is to convert the existing double-decker with Angamaly depot into an open-roof one after December 1, when the contract period for the adverts on the bus ends. We’re awaiting further orders as to its deployment. If the service is successful, then another double-decker, currently with Thalassery depot, could also be deployed,” a senior KSRTC official said.
There is constant demand to expand Kochi’s already bustling nightlife. Many tea shops and eateries now function late into the night, Apart from malls, areas like the Queens Walkway are also attracting visitors after dusk.
“Domestic tourists come to the city to experience the malls and the backwater. It also frequently hosts important football matches, which attract youths from the northern districts in droves. Most of the long-distance trains leave depart from the city past midnight, and this leaves ample scope for double-decker services at night when the roads are relatively empty.
We should follow the example of cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and London, which operate successful double-decker night services,” said Ramesh Mathew, a former journalist who returned from Doha a couple of years ago.
“Nightlife is essential as far as a city is concerned. However, certain facilities must first be ensured, such as basic infrastructure, a change in cultural attitude, security and cleanliness. We’re working on all that,” mayor M Anilkumar said.
