The made-to-order e-buses will reduce commuters’ reliance on personal autos to attain the 25 stations within the metro’s phase-one hall.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO FOR REPRESENTATIONAL PURPOSE
Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has lastly determined to introduce a devoted fleet of 15 e-buses to operate companies on the metro’s feeder routes in June, seven years after its commissioning in 2017.
This is predicted to in usher in first- and last-mile connectivity, serving to enhance patronage within the 28-km-long metro that’s struggling to attain the goal of 1 lakh passengers a day.
“The metro agency has placed an order to procure a total of 15 thirty-two seat air-conditioned e-buses to ferry commuters from metro stations to prominent commuter hubs in the Greater Kochi area. This is in keeping with demand from commuters and is expected to plug gaps in first- and last-mile connectivity,” metro sources stated.
These made-to-order e-buses would in flip reduce commuters’ reliance on personal autos to attain the 25 stations within the metro’s phase-one hall. With the KSRTC not keen to spare 30 buses that KMRL had sought to operate on feeder routes, the metro company had invited expression of curiosity (EoI) from corporations to operate e-buses related to the half-a-dozen such buses that used to operate beneath the banner of Kleen Smart Bus Limited (KSBL) — a public-limited firm collectively promoted by bus operators from Kochi and resident and non-resident Keralites. This was within the wake of the metro’s each day loss mounting to over ₹1 crore, and the each day passenger patronage falling in need of the one lakh goal.
KSRTC buses
Sources within the KSRTC stated that opposite to earlier proposals, the company had no plans to introduce e-buses like those working in Thiruvananthapuram, in Kochi. “As for diesel-run feeder buses from metro stations, we had to withdraw many such services due to inadequate demand during off-peak hours. Only five of them are operating now. Considering the demand for such buses from metro stations to Menaka, Thopumpady, Infopark, and Angamaly, we could deploy a few of our buses on these passenger-dense feeder routes,” they added.
CSML funds
In 2023, the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) director board had expressed willingness to set aside funds to procure a fleet of feeder buses for the metro. The sole situation was {that a} particular function car (SPV) had to be floated for the aim, managed by the Mayor. “Industries Minster P. Rajeeve had taken it up with the State government since such an SPV was crucial to operating feeder buses that could be purchased using CSML funds, and also roll-on roll-off ferries that operated in the Fort Kochi-Vypeen corridor. A policy decision by the government in this regard is expected post the Lok Sabha polls,” stated sources within the Kochi Corporation.