Air-conditioned bus shelters in city soon

Numbering system for buses will be completed by April.

After hi-tech commuter-friendly bus shelter with sophisticated facilities like LED display panel, FM Radio, CCTVs and back-lit panel, the capital is all set to have air-conditioned bus shelters.

Commuters will soon be able to wait in air-conditioned comfort and enhanced security at the bus stop. Five air-conditioned bus shelters with ATMs have been mooted in busy junctions of the capital by District Collector Biju Prabhakar with support from banks.

University College Hostel, Palayam, near University Library canteen on the VJT-Asan Square Road, near Students Centre, and opposite Mascot Hotel, and the designated bus stop near the KHRWS paywards in Medical College are the junctions identified in Phase I of the project. A meeting chaired by the District Collector also decided to temporarily shift the stop for buses going to Beemapally from East Fort to the backside of Hotel Luciya and opposite to the designated stop for buses going towards Kovalam.

The KSRTC officials also said at the meeting that the numbering system for city buses would be completed by April. After this, the buses from other depots in the capital coming to the city would also be given the route numbers.

The private stage carriers would also get the route numbers subsequently to make travel hassle-free. City police Commissioner G. Sparjan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, (Law and Order, Traffic), Shiv Vikram, KSRTC, police and MVD officials attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, the administration has commenced steps to issue new city permits for autorickshaws. Mr. Prabhakar said the autorickshaws registered in the city limits till December 31, 2015, would be considered. The owners would have to register the name, the registration number, and the present stand in the respective police station before April 15. The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting on April 21 will decide on the procedures, new stand for autorickshaws, number of vehicles to be permitted in a stand, and the colour pattern for the autorickshaws with permits.

At present, 4,550 autorickshaws have permits to ply in the city. The RTA has already decided to increase the permits to 30,000.