Proposals on new bus routes remain on paper

RTA yet to take a decision on report submitted 8 months ago

September 23, 2017 01:21 am | Updated September 24, 2017 08:07 am IST - Kozhikode

Kozhikode, Kerala, 22/09/2017; A bus shelter at East hill junction there is a few buses operates( to go with Biju Govind's story). PhotoS_Ramesh Kurup

 Kozhikode, Kerala, 22/09/2017; A bus shelter at East hill junction there is a few buses operates( to go with Biju Govind's story). PhotoS_Ramesh Kurup

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Kozhikode, Kerala, 22/09/2017; A bus shelter at East hill junction there is a few buses operates( to go with Biju Govind's story). PhotoS_Ramesh Kurup Kozhikode, Kerala, 22/09/2017; A bus shelter at East hill junction there is a few buses operates( to go with Biju Govind's story). PhotoS_Ramesh Kurup -

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA), chaired by the District Collector, is allegedly sitting on a detailed report recommending changes in the existing bus routes that was submitted to the district administration eight months ago.

A blueprint jointly prepared by the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) with the Department of Town and Country Planning had proposed an efficient bus transportation system for Kozhikode urban area. It had proposed a proper system based on travel time, cost and transfers for commuters.

At present, only 35% of road users utilise bus as their mode of travel.

The delay in taking a concrete decision continues even as commuters seek different modes of transport, and solutions to parking woes experienced in different parts of the city. Official sources said that discussions had been held before Onam holidays. But there was no outcome.

In view of the commissioning of six new roads in the city shortly, the RTA would have to take a decision on the recommendations, officials said.

The roads — Stadium-Puthiyara Road (0.644 km); Kovoor-Vellimadukunnu Road (2.735 km); Karaparamba-Eranhipalam and Arayidathupalam-Kalluthankadavu Road (4.526 km); Gandhi Road-Mini Bypass and Kuniyilkavu-Mavoor Road Junction (3.435 km); and Panathuthazham-CWRDM Road (8.45 km) — are being developed under the Kozhikode City Road Improvement Project (KCRIP) of the Kerala Road Fund Board.

Buses, both private and State-owned KSRTC, rarely ply on the Karaparamba-East Hill-West Hill Chungam stretch of the mini bypass, and the entire stretch of 28.12 km from Vengalam to Idimuzhikkal is 28.12 km of the Kozhikode Bypass. Very few buses operate from Vadakara side directly to the Calicut airport.

PWD proposals

The fate of several proposals of the Public Works Department (PWD) meant for easing traffic in Kozhikode city is still hanging in the balance.

Previously, it had selected 13 corridors and two flyovers at Arayidathupalam and Eranhipalam junctions for traffic improvement. The E.K. Nayanar flyover at Arayidathupalam, inaugurated a few years ago, had provided some relief.

However, a flyover project at Eranhipalam remains on paper. If the project is materialised, the congestion at the junction and traffic volume on the mini bypass of the stretch will be reduced by 34.6%, said a PWD report.

The report also said that there would be a reduction in traffic of 11% on Medical College-CWDRM Road due to improvement of Vellimadukunnu-Kovoor and Moozhikkal-CWDRM Road. Similarly, there would be 15% reduction in traffic on Manachira-Vellimadukunnu (part of NH 212) due to the opening of CWDRM- MLA Road, and 8% reduction in traffic on Mavoor Road because of the opening of CWDRM-MLA Road.

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