Commuters, bus operators irked over poor condition of Fort Kochi bus stand

Commuters and bus operators prefer to use the main road than the ill-maintained bus stand at Fort Kochi, for the past many years.
| Photo Credit: H. VIBHU

Commuters and bus operators have decried the deteriorating condition of the Fort Kochi bus stand located opposite the RDO office, and right in the heart of the hugely popular heritage town which attracts tourists from across the world.

“The Kochi Corporation-owned bus stand and its premises have been in bad condition for the past over a decade,” said S. Padmanabha Mallya, secretary of West Kochi Passengers Association that takes up the cause of ferry and bus commuters from the densely populated region.

“The worst part is that the Corporation’s zonal office, the RDO office and the Fort Kochi police station are located just across the road of the bus stand which also has an unkept pay-and-use toilet. Tens of hundreds of travellers, including foreigners, rely on buses to commute to mainland Kochi. Eventually, the condition of the beachfront and the unscientifcally-planned, ill-maintained bus stand could lead to Fort Kochi becoming synonymous with litter and stench,” he added.

Bus operators too are peeved at the condition of the bus stand that was constructed just over 15 years ago and is now used mostly to park buses. Commuters wait outside to board the buses as they leave the premises. “The Corporation must take effective steps to ensure that the stand and the toilets there are safe for use by commuters and bus crew,” said K.B. Suneer of the Private Bus Operators Association.

K.M. Navas, another bus operator, pointed out that a similar situation existed at Aluva, where the private bus stand was in bad shape, although Aluva Municipality collected user fee from buses.

A bus commuter, Antony Xavier, spoke of how chaos reigned at the bus stand and at the adjacent ro-ro ferry terminal due to shoddy planning of the stand and also Kamalakadavu Junction where both the public spaces are located. “The situation gets worse when hundreds of commuters and dozens of vehicles arrive at one go whenever the ro-ro ferry calls at the terminal. The CSML’s delay in redeveloping roads and drains has added to the confusion, what with a woman tourist from abroad losing balance on an undulated stretch and falling, suffering head injuries, in February.”

Sources in the Kochi Corporation said that little could be done unless the State government allotted funds to the civic body to take up maintenance works of infrastructure like bus stands.