The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has launched five low-floor air-conditioned bus services from the Alappuzha depot. K.C. Venugopal, MP, flagged off the initial service along the Alappuzha-Ernakulam-Vytilla-Infopark route at a function at the depot on Saturday.
The remaining four services, Alappuzha-Fort Kochi, Cherthala-Arthunkal Church-Changanassery-Kottayam Medical College, Alappuzha-Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha-Haripad-Mavelikkara-Chengannur, will be formally launched on April 21 by G. Sudhakaran, MLA.
The buses have been sanctioned under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The Alappuzha and Kollam clusters have received 47 buses under the scheme, according to officials.
Speaking at the function, Mr. Venugopal said he would sanction Rs. 50 lakh under the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) for the renovation of the Alappuzha KSRTC depot. An equal amount had earlier been provided for the development of the depot. He added that he would seek the assistance of other parliamentarians for enhancing the existing facilities.
Mr. Venugopal also said Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan had given assurance to launch services from Alappuzha to Guruvayoor. The government had also initiated the process for renewing inter-state licence for reviving services to Velankanni via Arthunkal.
The timings of the newly-launched services are as follows: Alappuzha-Ernakulam-Vytilla-Infopark - 7.10 a.m.; Alappuzha-Fort Kochi - 6 a.m.; Cherthala-Arthunkal-Changanssery-Kottayam Medical College 6.15 a.m.; Alappuzha-Pathanamthitta – 5.30 a.m.; and Alappuzha-Haripad-Mavelikkara-Chengannur - 6.50 a.m.
