Govt lands integrated transport plan in limbo

Kochi: The Kochi Metro Rail Limited's  integrated transport system is in limbo in the absence of legislation. It has to wait for the next Assembly to adopt the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority Bill. The draft proposal for UMTA was pending with the state government for more than a year.

Without legislation, its decisions wouldn’t be binding on stakeholders like Regional Transport Authority, Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, Kerala state water transport department and Kochi Corporation in rerouting buses, boats, revising their schedule and single ticketing, etc.

Unless the new dispensation gives topmost priority for the Bill, integrating commuting modes to facilitate maximum ridership and better connectivity to Metro before its commercial operations in November will not be possible.

KMRL managing director Elias George said the agency was going ahead with groundworks including consultation with stakeholders and preparation of administrative structure.

“There are several things to be streamlined before introducing seamless ticketing and integrating public transport. We hope, the new government will take up the Bill on priority,” Mr George told DC.

There were allegations that top bureaucrats were reluctant to relinquish their powers and lack of will on the part of the political leadership delaying the Bill.
UMTA will coordinate not only rail, road or waterways but it will also integrate metro rail, freight vehicles, autos, taxis and even non-motorised modes of transport like cycling.