KSRTC may reconsider Kalamassery route

KOCHI: Faced with strong resistance from the authorities of the Kochi Cancer Research Centre as well as the public, the KSRTC authorities have decided to make a rethinking on their decision to scrap recently launched services connecting interiors of Kalamassery where the KCRC and the Erankulam Government Medical College are situated. The KSRTC had started feeder services from Kochi Metro station at Aluva connecting it to the KCRC and EMC. However, after a few days, they found it to be unviable as the daily collection was very low. Following this, the authorities decided to run services only during the peak morning and evening hours from Sunday.

However, this came as a shock to the patients and their relatives who were for long demanding service to both institutions. The KCRC medical superintendent Dr P. G. Balagopal has now sought an appointment with Transport Minister Thomas Chandy and KSRTC MD M. G. Rajamanickam on Tuesday to request them to resume full-fledged services. Meanwhile KSRTC Ernakulam zonal officer S. K. Suresh Kumar told DC that they submitted a revised proposal to the KSRTC chief office at Thiruvananthapuram on Monday for running service to KCRC and EMC based on the suggestions by the Justice Krishan Iyer Movement to make the services viable.

“KSRTC can run service from Muvattupuzha side via Thiruvankulam and Seaport-Airport road to Kalamasserry medical college area and HMT and to Aluva and back which is a viable alternative. Also, it can run services from Perumbavoor and Kothamangalam to EMC and KCRC via Naval Armamement Depot (NAD) area even up to Aluva and back. These services would be viable alternatives for the RTC as a lot of people from the eastern areas are longing for connectivity to the two institutions and also to Kochi Metro. We have suggested it to them and they have agreed to consider,” said Dr N. K. Sanil Kumar, leader of the Justice Krishna Iyer Movement. KSRTC officials say that a Metro feeder service to EMC during non-peak hours give a collection of '200 only which is a huge burden on KSRTC which is now looking for profitable ways. Apart from EMC and KCRC, a lot of other institutions are situated in the area.