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New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
Infopark-Tripunithura AC feeder bus service kicks off
KOCHI: The 'Point-to-Point' AC feeder bus service connecting Tripunithura metro station and Infopark, long-drawn demand of techies, has kicked off operations on Thursday. The response in the two days since the launch has been 'encouraging'. 'We've started operating AC CNG buses on the route. The first trip from Tripunithura metro station is at 7.40 am while the last trip from Infopark is at 7.15 pm. A flat rate of Rs 60 per person is being charged,' Antony B J, MD, Kleen Smart Bus Ltd (KSBL), told TNIE. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) had awarded the licence, valid for six months, to the KSBL following an open tendering process. Daily, hundreds of techies arrive at Tripunithura railway station from nearby satellite towns to reach their workplace. 'Currently just a single bus is in operation, and we plan to deploy more based on the demand. However, the condition that the licence is provided only to costly electric or CNG buses is a challenge,' the official said. The service will have three stops – Kakkanad Metro Station, Infopark Phase 1 and Phase 2. 'The operator needs to run the services mainly during morning and evening peak hours six days a week (weekdays and Saturday) for commuters travelling to Tripunithura metro station and back. The licences are being awarded to private operators as part of efforts to ensure first and last-mile connectivity. There are plans to acquire 20 more e-feeder buses,' a KMRL official said. Meanwhile, the KMRL is currently busy deploying e-feeder services. Of the 15 AC e-buses acquired, it have been deployed 13, while two have been kept as reserves. It intends to deploy its own buses on one more route – Kadavanthra-Panampilly Nagar circular route.'We welcome the initiative as it will benefit a substantial number of techies,' said Anish Panthalani of Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural organisation for techies based in the state's IT parks.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
KMRL's feeder services to connect Infopark, Tripunithura metro stations
KOCHI: Here is happy news for hundreds of techies who arrive at Tripunithura by trains from nearby satellite towns en route to their workplace. The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) is now geared up to operate 'point-to-point' contract carriage services connecting the Tripunithura metro station with the Infopark. 'The service will have no stops in between other than at the Kakkanad metro station, Infopark Phase 1 and Phase 2. We've invited applications from private entities/individuals to issue the feeder service licence, which will have a validity of six months,' said a senior KMRL official. A fixed rate of Rs 60 per individual will be charged for the air-conditioned services along the route. 'The operator needs to run the services in the morning and evening during the peak hours six days a week, except Sundays. It will cater to the commuters travelling to the Tripunithura metro station and back. Furthermore, the feeder service provider shall not compete with the e-bus operating between Kakkanad/Kakkanad Water Metro and Infopark Phase 1 and 2 by picking up and dropping off passengers travelling within the same sector. The issuance of feeder licence shall be on a first come-first serve basis,' the official added. The operators will be extended a limited parking facility from 9 pm to 7 am at select stations, but the same will be restricted to the vehicles conducting the service operations. However, the KMRL shall not provide provision for opportunity charging at any metro station location/premise. The KMRL has its hands full with the deployment of the e-feeder services. Out of the 15 AC e-buses acquired, it has already deployed 13, while two are kept as reserves. It intends to deploy its own buses in one more route — Kadavanthra-Panampilly Nagar circular route. 'To provide its commuters seamless, sustainable, environment friendly, comfortable, safe and affordable connectivity options, the KMRL calls for OEM/ Aggregator/ Society/ Individual to provide e-buses and/or CNG buses (contract carriage) to be operated as feeder services on the Tripunithura Metro station-Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark Phase 1&2,' the 'Call for Application for Feeder buses' issued by the KMRL reads. The development comes even as both the residents of the town and the techies have demanded connectivity from the Tripunithura Terminal Metro station, lying in close proximity with the railway station. 'We welcome the initiative as a substantial number of techies will be benefited by the planned services connecting the Infopark and the Tripunithura metro station,' said Anish Panthalani of the Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural organisation of techies based on the IT parks of Kerala.'We're happy that the KMRL considered our request. TRURA (Tripunithura Rajanagari Union of Residents' Association) had submitted a memorandum to the KMRL, seeking feeder connectivity from Tripunithura Metro station. "The metro station is the only one which is not located in an NH or PWD stretch. The commuters are facing the last mile connectivity issue here, as one has to go on foot a good 700 metres to reach the nearest bus stop. Feeder services will prove much beneficial to both metro and railway commuters,' said V C Jayendran, Convenor, TRURA, an apex council of nearly 140 residents associations. The 'Metro Connect' e-feeder buses introduced by the KMRL are evoking good response with over two lakh commuters availing the air-conditioned facility in nearly two months. The KMRL introduced the 33-seater electric buses first on January 16, deploying them in the Aluva-Airport, Kalamassery-Medical College, Kalamassery-CUSAT, Kalamassery-Infopark, the Kakkanad Water Metro Terminal-Infopark-Collectorate and the High Court-MG Road circular routes. The average daily ridership is 1,350 in Aluva-Airport route, 730 in Kalamassery-Medical College route, and 890 in Infopark route. The fare is Rs 20 for a 5-km distance. Easing the commute A fixed rate of Rs 60 per individual will be charged for the A/C services along the route Will cater to the commuters travelling to the Tripunithura metro station and back The proposed service will run in the morning and evening during the peak hours six days a week
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Infrastructure gaps delay liquor service at Infopark Kochi despite Kerala's new permit rule
The Infopark Kochi campus is unlikely to serve liquor anytime soon, despite the Kerala government permitting it in government-controlled or owned Information Technology (IT) Parks, due to infrastructure shortcomings. Last week, the Kerala government notified the Foreign Liquor (5th Amendment) Rules, inserting a provision for the issuance of Foreign Liquor Information Technology Park Licence with an annual fee of ₹10 lakh to developers of IT parks. The beneficiaries include government-controlled/owned IT parks such as Techno Park, Info Park, Cyber Park, and parks operating on public-private partnership, such as SmartCity Kochi and Private Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services Parks. Only developers and not individual companies will be granted licences. Susanth Kurunthil, CEO of Infopark Kochi, told The Hindu that the campus has no land or separate building to spare to set up or operate licensed premises in either Infopark Phase I or Phase II in compliance with the licence provisions. 'We already have a long list of around 120 companies waiting for space on our campus. Our priority would be to set up IT buildings even if we were to find land,' he said. Among the 28 conditions set for the issuance of licence to developers is that 'the licensed premises should be a separate area inside the Information Technology Park premises, other than office space. The licensed room should have an independent entry and exit, other than the normal entry and exit of the connected organisation, of which the licensed premises may physically be a part.' Anish Panthalani, president of Progressive Techies, a combine of IT employees, agreed that space constraint was indeed an issue on the Infopark campus. 'Both the State government and Infopark Kochi have proposed a third phase for the IT park. The proposed licensed premises can be executed only if that materialises,' he said. Mr. Panthalani said serving liquor within the IT park premises will only 'improve' Kerala's profile as a preferred IT destination. 'Companies are facing difficulty in attracting quality hands here because of the limited avenues for leisure time activities, unlike in other IT destinations such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad or Noida. It also enables companies to host guests, including international clients, in a favourable ambience amongst like-minded social drinkers, since the facilities within the park would be inaccessible to the public,' he said. As per the notification, the licensed premises will be accessible 'only to the staff working in the Information Technology Parks and the official visitors/guests of the companies functioning in the Technology Park who shall have authorisation from the authority concerned in the Information Technology Park.'
