In Kochuveli, you are cut off!

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hundreds of passengers boarding or alighting trains at Kochuveli Railway Station are facing a harrowing time because of poor connectivity with the city. Auto-rickshaws charge at will and even demand full return fare.

“One of the biggest problems is the non-availability of transport facilities. Once I came by Chandigarh Kochuveli Express. I arrived at the station in the night. The entire area remained almost deserted. Outside the platform, there was no transportation available, no buses, auto-rickshaw or taxi," said a passenger, who didn’t want to be named. 

"To get an auto one needs to walk almost one and a half kilometres through an isolated road and lowly lit area. If you are lucky, you may get it at the station. But one will have to spend a fortune to reach the city." 

"For a single woman, safety is a major concern during the night. Similarly, it is tough for those travelling with children. The authorities should take immediate steps to provide transportation facilities. With more and more trains now departing and arriving at Kochuveli, the railway authorities could even think of a shuttle train," she added.

With no taxi stand or prepaid auto counter, the passengers are at the receiving end. Adding on to the woes, the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) does not operate even its scheduled services.

A top KSRTC official said that they were unable to conduct services because of the mass sacking of empanelled drivers and conductors. 

“We don’t have sufficient staff for conducting services. We are running at a loss, and daily we are forced to cancel a minimum of 20 schedules due to staff shortage. From Jan 21 we are running at a daily loss of Rs 1 crore,” he said.