Signalling an end to reckless driving by private buses, the Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has mooted constitution of a company to manage the fleet of 650 private buses in the city.
This will be a win-win situation for owners of private buses and commuters, since Kochi Metro commissioning will not pose a threat to the bus operators. As for the commuters, the proposed structure will ensure quality last-mile connectivity from the metro stations. KMRL would be a facilitator in the whole process of constituting a company to operate the buses, sources in the agency said.
The metro agency entrusted Delhi-based UMTC to study rerouting of a few buses away from the metro corridor and to finalise a list of financially viable routes. The proposed company would bring half a dozen bus-operator organisations in the city under one umbrella, helping streamline bus operations. In case bus operators fail to reach a consensus on forming a company, KMRL might go ahead with plans to operate its own fleet of feeder buses from metro stations. A stakeholder meeting involving bus operators and officials of KMRL, Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and traffic police was held here on Monday. Representatives of consultancy firm Deloitte Ltd. shared their experience in integrating commuting modes in cities such as Delhi following high accident rate of private buses.
The bus company will also further the cause of Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority (UMTA) in integrating public transport since its officials will be able to directly take up with the company issues such as smart ticketing, medical insurance and PF for bus workers, to ensure a better commuting experience. A management graduate could well be appointed as the company’s CEO, to usher in professionalism, sources said.
Elaborating on how a professionally-managed company can be constituted, sources associated with the initiative said individual bus owners could be Director Board members. They can take shares in proportion to the number and value of buses that they operate. This will ensure availability of drivers and conductors since the company will ensure respectability and credibility for their jobs.
The company will also be able to procure spares and tyres in bulk at heavily discounted rates. There can also be a centralised work shop for buses, further cutting down on expenses.
