Kozhikode bus station out of bounds for elderly

KOZHIKODE: The much awaited KSRTC bus station at Kozhikode, which was opened after several years of delay and huge cost overruns, is inaccessible to the old and physically challenged travelers.

Poor planning of the building makes life difficult for them and people are seen struggling to climb up the stairs at the entrance as there are no ramps provided.

The ramp from the ground floor ends midway and the aged and physically challenged are forced to climb the steps to the parking bays to board a bus.

“When I got down from the vehicle, I was happy to see the ramp. But when I walked up, I realised that it does not take me to the bus bay but only to a platform from where I had to climb up several steps to reach bus bays,” said Lakshmi Kutty, a 65-year-old passenger.

“That is ridiculous as the planners did not consider the challenged travelers”.

Similarly, the parking area on the basement has no elevator or a lift to take the passengers to the first level where buses are parked.
“After you park your vehicle, you have to walk up through the corridor to the ground floor and then to the first floor to board a bus. I have learnt that several crores had been spent for constructing this twin towers. But what was the purpose if the facilities provided are not passenger friendly?” asked Sasi Menon, a resident of Chevayur.

There are also no platforms at the bus bays allowing passengers to board a bus smoothly.

“Introduction of low-floor AC buses has been a great relief to people like us as we were unable to climb up the steps on regular buses. But when I came to board an AC Volvo bus from the KSRTC stand, I realised that there were no platforms and it was equally difficult to board the low floor bus from the stand,” Madhavikutty, a resident of Perinthalmanna, said.