Even as yet another Bus Day was observed in the city on Monday to promote use of public transport, regular commuters remained agitated about their daily rigours.
Transportation expert Dijo Kappen felt that a safety threat loomed large over passengers who risked their lives for want of other alternatives.
“Public transport is supposed to be safe, secure and cheap, though in Kerala, it is anything but. These issues have sparked off an exodus of commuters to two-wheelers, which are now more than 63 lakh in number out of the one crore-odd private vehicles in the State,” he said.
Toolika Suresh, chairperson of St. Teresa’s College, said private bus workers seemed reluctant to accommodate students, which is reflected in their practice of stopping buses away from the designated stops.
She also felt that the seats reserved for senior citizens were by and large occupied by others, leaving the targeted beneficiaries suffer. Kerala State Bus Passengers Association secretary K.C. Chacko said: “Private buses are permitted to have 48 seats, but in most cases, they have six seats removed to accommodate more passengers. This shortage of general seats often prompts passengers to occupy reserved seats.”
Buses idling at stops and speeding away when another bus approaches is a common practice. “Seats behind the driver, according to rules, should be fixed in 12 rows, but more often than not, one finds only 10 rows, leaving passengers with little leg room,” Mr. Chacko added. He also alleged that students were not allowed to occupy seats in some private buses.
According to M.B. Satyan of the Ernakulam District Private Bus Operators Association, the practice of removing seats was stopped long ago.
The vacant spaces in the front and rear portions of some 38-seater buses give a false impression that seats have been removed, he added.
