Aimed at roping in autorickshaws to operate feeder trips along the metro corridor routes, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) initiated discussions with representatives of driver unions here on Tuesday.
The metro agency has decided to accord priority to autorickshaws that operate in the city at present, while keeping the option open to encourage electric autorickshaws in the long run. The electric vehicles, a few of which operate in Broadway, cause minimal sound and air pollution and can carry more passengers.
Seamless integration
“Tuesday’s was a preliminary discussion on the possibilities of seamless integration of different modes of public transport. Autorickshaws can operate feeder service along side roads in the city and also in islands in the Greater Kochi area that will be linked by the Water Metro by 2018-end,” sources in the metro agency said.
KURTC buses
With the commissioning of the Aluva-Palarivattom metro corridor on the anvil, metro officials will on Wednesday hold discussions with Transport Secretary K.R. Jyotilal and Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRCT) managing director M.G. Rajamanickam on operating the Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporation’s (KURTC) AC and non-AC low-floor buses as metro’s feeder services, linking metro stations with major city hubs and suburban towns.
“The KSRTC has expressed its willingness to spare a few low-floor buses. They have sought details such as routes and number of buses required. We may also need mini buses to operate along key side roads,” metro sources said. The KURTC had earlier made it clear that it could even spare a few of the CNG buses it plans to purchase as feeder buses for the metro.
A suggestion to introduce pool taxi services from metro stations has been kept in abeyance after stakeholders cited safety concerns.
UMTA Kochi
Integrating different commuting modes would be among the top priorities of the Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority (UMTA) mooted for Kochi. The UMTA Bill is pending before the State Assembly for its sanction.
KMRL’s managing director Elias George said the Assembly was expected to either pass the UMTA legislation or refer it to a Subject Committee. The KMRL, which is slated to be the nodal agency for implementing UMTA and which has framed the UMTA Bill, has structured it in such a way that it could be emulated in cities such as Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode too, said Mr. George, who is also UMTA Chairman. The UMTA is expected to streamline norms and oversee optimal usage of public transport modes, including ferries.
