Techies demand regular bus services to Technopark

TechnoparkToday.com: A group of techies have approached KSRTC with their travel woes as KSRTC has suspended some of the services that they depended upon. Regular AC low-floor bus service in Peroorkada-Technopark and Neyyattinkara-Technopark routes, are latest among the services suspended by KSRTC.

Around 250-odd techies depend on these buses which are operated during the office hours at Technopark. The frequency of these bus services has been reduced to a few days in a month. In the last few days, both services were suspended.In this situation, Prathidhwani KSRTC forum of techies, who are regular travellers KSRTC buses, has summited a request to the KSRTC executive director (operations), demanding to operate regular and additional services to Technopark.

In the letter the techies have also demanded for online reservation in weekend service and special services for vacation, such as low-floor buses to Mundakayam and Thodupuzha.“There are more than 250 people, who regularly traveller in the AC low-floor bus from Peroorkada and Neyyattinkara. The buses are under repair is the response from the KSRTC officials to our queries. We have to walk a long distance to reach the nearest bus stand, outside the Technopark campus, even in night hours. It is female employees at Technopark who suffer the most when the services are cancelled. Fleecing by autorickshaw drivers at Kazhakkoottam is another issue, as they refuse to switch on the meter,” said Dinu Divakaran, a senior software engineer in a private company at Technopark and member of Prathidhwani KSRTC Forum.

KSRTC operates its low-floor AC buses from Enchakkal operating centre. According to an official from the operating centre, around 50% of buses are in dock for repair and maintenance.

“Only 12 odd AC low-floor buses are being operated from the centre at Enchakkal. Rest of the buses are in workshop. The old AC low-floor buses are allotted for city services and there are frequent complaints on non-functioning of AC, door locking system and even the breaks. The sanction of funds for repair work in AC low-floor buses takes time and the bus remains in workshop. Though these bus services to Technopark earn good fare collection, due to frequent maintenance work, the schedules are temporally cancelled,” said the KSRTC officer.

Connection bus service for Vanchinad Express from Kazhakkoottam railway station to Technopark at 9.30am; more trips to double decker service; new bus from Vattiyoorkavu; bus services to KINFRA via Bypass and Kottayam via MC Road; bus service from Kattakada to Kazhakkoottam via Palayam, Bypass, Infosys which reaches Technopark (Kariavattom- Tripadapuram road) by 9.30am and return journey in the evening; rescheduling of bus services via bypass and NH to Kazhakkoottam, through Technopark etc. are the other demands raised in the petition.