Emerging metro Kochi awaits night buses

Kochi: To cater to the crying need for bus services in the city after dusk, the Kochi Corporation, originally in charge of the JNnURM funded buses, has come to the fore, advocating them even as the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has developed cold feet over running them.

“Since they are running our buses we’ll suggest the service," said K. J. Sohan, chairman of the Town Planning Standing Committee of the Corporation. “KSRTC is service-oriented and should provide the last mile connectivity. Currently, the last bus to West Kochi and Vypin areas is at 9.40 pm.

But there are hundreds of saleswomen from organisations, such as Seemati, leaving their offices around 10 pm,” he pointed out. KSRTC Chief Traffic Manager K. M. Irshad said that there were suggestions to deploy low-floor buses during the night, “But we cannot afford to run them half vacant or with only a few passengers. One way is to charge double fares. However, the situation is different in the state. There will be a wide protest even for a nominal hike."

The city may have a bustling night life now due to the influx of the techie culture but unlike other cities, people feel keenly the dearth of public transport at night.

“The Nedumbassery airport is far away and most of the international flights are   early in the morning. A night service would also help those who work night shifts at the Infopark in Kakkanad and Cherthala.

Also, a circular service connecting the Vytilla Hub in the night is a necessity with inter-state services starting from there,” said Dijo Kappen, Managing Trustee of the Pala-based Centre for Consumer Education.

Night buses are a feature of most metros, like Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi. Most operators though charge double the normal ticket rates at night to compensate for fewer commuters.