Study to replace low-floor bus with Thirukochi

KOCHI: In an effort to make the services on the Vyttila-Vyttila (circular) route profitable, the KSRTC is conducting a feasibility study on the viability of running Thirukochi buses in place of semi-low floor buses on the route. As per the schedule, six semi-low floor buses operate on the route on a half-hourly basis. However, the low income generated by the services has been a concern for quite some time. “The income from the semi-low floor buses operating on the Vyttila circular route is not enough to cover even the diesel cost. The service is not popular among the public as the ticket cost is double per running slot when compared to an ordinary KSRTC service. Hence, we have swapped the routes of two Thirukochi buses with two semi-low floor buses to see how they both fare. Since the experiment is barely a week old, we are yet to reach any conclusions. But so far, both the Thirukochi and the semi-low floor buses (that swapped routes) seem to be making good progress,” said Assistant Transport Officer (ATO), P K Satheesh Kumar. “If the experiment yields positive results and there is a significant increase in the income of both the services (Thirukochi and semi-low floor), the KSRTC will think of making it a permanent affair,” he said.Meanwhile, the KSRTC is yet to receive six more semi-low floor buses meant to be deployed on the Vyttila circular route under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme. With that, the KSRTC was planning to regularise the services on a 15-minute frequency.