Kochi: Vyttila carriageway a mesh of craters and cracks
KOCHI: Giving a harrowing time to commuters and bus operators, the promises of repairing the carriageway at the Vyttila Mobility Hub continue to remain on paper. With the hub degenerating into a mesh of craters and cracks, both KSRTC authorities and private bus operators are crying foul, citing that vehicles sustain damage, causing additional maintenance expenses and trip cancellations.
They blame the Vyttila Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) and the project implementing agency, Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML), for the failure in honouring the promises made several months back. The pathetic situation will persist now that the monsoon is at the doorstep, they rued.
'Deep craters have formed all along the hub. The conditions have been pathetic for over a year. Often, potholes are covered with rainwater and drivers can't see them. Axles and plates of several buses were damaged. This is despite the fact that all vehicles are paying fees for using the hub,' a senior KSRTC official told TNIE.
VMHS charges Rs 25 per bus (both KSRTC and private operators) for using the hub and Rs 50 for parking a bus. Two months ago, the KSRTC authorities met the VMHS managing director, who promised to take action on a war footing.
'But nothing has been done during this period. It costs us over Rs 10,000 to repair an axle. But we are affected more by the trip cancellation. It takes at least three days to repair the axle or the plate of a bus. The collection loss for three days for a super fast bus is around Rs 1 lakh,' the KSRTC official said.
Private bus operators also shared similar concern.
'The additional maintenance expenses continue to break our back even as we struggle to remain afloat in the sector. At least, they could have exempted us from the toll till the repairs are done,' said K B Suneer, president of the Ernakulam District Private Bus Operators' Association.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Adani plans projects worth 17,500cr to expand CSMIA's capacity by '29
New Delhi: The Adani group has identified a string of projects — well over 310 that will require a capex of about Rs 17,500 crore by March 2029 — to augment the annual passenger handling capacity of Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to 6.5 crore passengers annually (CPA). The projects include building a bigger Terminal 1 in place of the existing terminal, expanding Terminal 2's capacity from 4 CPA to 4.5 CPA and increasing the hourly flight handling capacity to over 52. By 2029-30, the combined capacity of CSMIA and the upcoming Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) is expected to touch 11.5 CPA, to "cater to the growing demands of Mumbai region and Mumbai Metropolitan Region", shows an order issued by the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) recently. Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) "has proposed extending existing taxiway M to link it with the physical beginning of runway 27, including the construction of a bridge over Mithi river. The proposed Taxiway M extension will create an additional holding area for aircraft.… It will be designed for Code F aircraft (that include Boeing 747-8 and Airbus A380)," the order states. The hub had handled its highest ever passenger number of almost 5.5 crore in CY 2024. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esta nueva alarma con cámara es casi regalada en Campo Lope Seco (ver precio) Verisure Since last Feb, CSMIA which has a set of cross runways — making it essentially a single runway airport — is handling upto 44 flights (down from earlier 46) during "high intensity runway operations" (HIRO) periods from 8-11am and 5-8pm. And upto 42 aircraft movement per hour (down from earlier 44) during non-HIRO period. This is now set to get a big bost in the next 3-4 years. "Some of such projects identified for implementation for enabling the airport to cater to 6.5 CPA capacity are: Reconstruction of TI to enhance the capacity from 1.5 CPA to 2 CPA. Terminal 2 northwest pier (check-in facilities, construction of bus boarding Gates (V3) T2 expansion to enhance the capacity to 4.5 CPA. Additional aircraft parking stands in the southern side of runway 09-27," states the AERA order. The other steps include construction of parking stand, constructing an airside tunnel, and an eastern taxiway parallel to runway 14-32. AERA had asked MIAL to engage UK-based National Air Traffic Services (NATS) "to provide an independent high-level review of the infrastructure and forecast demand contained in CSMIA master plan. NATS has done a study and has confirmed the peak hour theoretical capacity of 55 ATMs (aircraft movement) based on its analysis benchmarking with other busy single runway airports like Gatwick but in respect to taxiway infrastructure, it has stated that the 'master plan changes appear to offer significant benefits, but they require more detailed assessment to confirm'. The phasing of the taxiway infrastructure changes should be reviewed to ensure that sufficient capacity is provided as demand grows," the order shows. MIAL has proposed a capex of Rs 17,440 crore in the fourth control period, that is upto March 31, 2029, on the capacity augmentation at CSMIA through the various identified projects related to key areas including airside improvement and passenger terminals. T1 is proposed to be reconstructed at a cost of Rs 3,130 crore by Sept 2028. T2 expansion is projected to cost Rs 142 crore and be over by March 2027. The air traffic control technical block is projected to cost Rs 185 crore and be done by March 2027.
NDTV
4 hours ago
- NDTV
Ponywallahs Facing A Loss Of Rs 2 Crore A Day In Pahalgam
Quick Read Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed. Tourism in Pahalgam, Kashmir, has plummeted after a terrorist attack, impacting local ponywallahs severely. With only 100 of 6,000 horses are working. The operators cumulatively face losses of Rs 2 crore a day. Pahalgam: The wheels of economy have come to a grinding halt in Kashmir's Pahalgam, since 25 tourists and a local man were shot down by terrorists in the scenic Baisaran Valley. But those who live - the locals - are now facing a massive crisis. The brunt of this is borne by ponywallahs, one of whom was killed by the terrorists when he tried to save the rider of his horse. Ever since the April 22 terror attack, tourists are cancelling bookings en masse. Of the 6.000 horses in Pahalgam, only 100 have work. According to an estimate, the pony tour operators and pony handlers are cumulatively facing a loss of Rs 2 crore every day in Pahalgam, found the NDTV team that visited the area. Rais, who is associated with one of the five local horse associations, said altogether, horse owners are facing a loss of Rs 2 crore every day. In summer, the area sees lakhs of tourists a day, who visit the nearby valleys and other scenic spots on horseback. But after the attack, bookings in the area have practically been wiped out. 6,000 horses, only 100 have work! Currently, there are about 6,000 horses in Pahalgam, of which only 1,900 have licenses. For the last few years, the licensing process by the government has been slow, due to which new licenses have not been given. During the season, horse owners earn Rs 3,000 per horse, but at this time, of the 6,000 horses, only a hundred have work. A horse costs Rs 1 lakh, food Rs 400 a day The cost of a horse is around Rs 1 lakh and sometimes horses are bought on EMI. Generally, a horse can work from the age of five years to 18 years. The minimum cost of food and water for a horse is Rs 400 per day. But as the age of the horse increases, the cost of its treatment increases. Sometimes this cost goes up to Rs 1,500 a day. There are five horse operators' associations in Pahalgam and each person is allowed to keep two horses. Cost of Hiring Horses in Pahalgam Horsemen charge Rs 1,300 to take tourists from Pahalgam to Baisaran Valley. The full package for visiting 4 locations in Pahalgam -- Pahalgam, Baisaran Valley, Kashmir Valley, Dabyain, Deno Valley -- is Rs 2,420 per person. The cost goes up if there are any detours. The charge for that is Rs 400 for each hour. About 1 lakh local people work with horses as handlers and operators, and it is the only source of income for their families. The tourist season is mainly in summer -- but when Amarnath Yatra begins, pilgrims start coming. Over the last few years, a fair number of people also came in December and January to enjoy the snow.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
City gears up for Ambubachi Mela, dist admin to inspect today
Guwahati: With the four-day-long Ambubachi Mahayog, previously known as Ambubachi Mela, scheduled from June 22 to June 26, the city is making extensive preparations for the annual spiritual congregation at the Kamakhya temple to mark the revered menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now While the Kamrup (Metro) district administration is slated to conduct an inspection on Monday, officials have confirmed that camps capable of accommodating nearly 20,000 devotees have been set up near the Kamakhya railway station and Pandu ghat, and these will become operational from June 20. Furthermore, medical camps staffed with doctors and essential medicines will be established to cater to the devotees' health needs. To ensure round-the-clock monitoring and security, about 300 CCTV cameras are being installed in and around the temple premises. Kabindra Prasad Sarma, the head priest of the temple, said the temple doors will close at 2:56 PM on June 22 and will reopen on the morning of June 26, after the completion of the rituals. With an estimated 25 lakh devotees attending last year, comprehensive preparations are underway to ensure their convenience, he added. Recognizing the discomfort of walking barefoot in intense heat, approximately 3.5 km of the stretch from the nursery to the temple, as well as parts of the temple premises, will be carpeted. Vehicles will not be permitted on this route and devotees will need to leave their footwear near the nursery. Tourism minister Ranjit Kumar Dass had previously chaired a meeting with various departments and the temple management committee, where it was decided that, similar to last year, no VIP passes will be issued during the congregation. To ensure the smooth conduct of the event, a budget of Rs 4.55 crore has been allocated.
