Parking troubles finally to end

The KSRTC buses at Ernakulam that were lying scattered in the city will be finally shifted to their original parking ground next week.

Owing to the construction of the KSRTC parking lot at Karikkamuri land which commenced in the second week of June, 40 per cent of the KSRTC buses at the Ernakulam depot was parked unsheltered in the city. Among the places where the buses were parked include the premises of the Ambedkar stadium, the KSRTC stand at the Boat Jetty and the road leading to the KSRTC stand in the South.

According to Ernakulam ATO Venugopal, the Kerala State Construction Corporation (KSCC) which was entrusted with `55 lakh for the ground’s renovation has finished 90 per cent of the work. “Now, only certain portion of the land remain to be fixed with inter-locking tiles. The rest of the work has been completed and we are hoping to shift our 200 buses there by next week,” he said.

The idea to place inter-locking tiles on the ground seemed feasible as maintenance work for the KSRTC would be minimal. Initially, the muddy surface was to be filled with metal mix and then the tiles will be placed.

A portion of the Karikkamuri ground which had originally belonged to the KSRTC was taken over by the Kochi Metro Rail Limited for metro-related works last year. However, in lieu of this, the KSRTC was provided with a muddy area to park the buses. The muddy plot had turned to be a nightmare for the KSRTC since it was continuously being forced to cancel many services during the night hours especially during the rain. In the first week of May alone, the number of services that had been cancelled by the KSRTC owing to this reason went above 30.

Constant strikes and pressure from the KSRTC bend the KMRL who later entrusted the job to the KSCC.

Speaking on this, Ernakulam district secretary T P Venu of the KSRTEA said the ground renovation has brought huge relief for the  drivers who had to otherwise pull out the buses from the mud-slushed area on rainy days.

Elamakkara Service

Meanwhile, MLA Hibi Eden has requested the  KSRTC to start a Thirukochi service from Elamakkara to Aluva on Friday.

Venugopal said, “We have not yet received any word from the Head office regarding the service. There is demand for it to start on Friday. However only if we receive a bus will we be able to start the service,” he said.