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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Vyttila Junction

By D Dhanuraj

The proposed Vytilla Mobility Hub might change the landscape of this area in the coming years. As forecasted in the feasibility study undertaken by Centre for Public Policy Research, the city Centre may move to this part of the district. Being stalled by the Arabian Sea on the west, city can grow only east wards and Vyttila becomes an ideal junction for the developmental activities.

Every day when i drive from home to office, I have to cross Vyttila Junction. Some days, the traffic may be easier to cross the junction withina few minutes otherwise, bucking ques from all the directions. In the peak hours the time allotted for each side is on average of 25 seconds. My early lessons in Physics class helps me to measure time required to cross 200 metres and i find 25 seconds an average make a mockery of the situation. The cumbstine required for Petrol and Diesel engines are very high at the beginning. the moment the vehicles attain a speed of 10 KM/Hr to cross the junction, the red light beams again and stops the vehicles. In a country where we make hue and cry about the money that we spend for the import of Petroleum products, no one is bothered about the fuel we spend in each minute while we cross the junction at Vyttila because of the anomaly in the switch over time.

I am not sure what shall be the switch over time but i am sure it shall not be 25 seconds. given the traffic congestion there, it shall be well above 45 seconds definitely or more.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Bus trip from Cochin Airport

By D.Dhanuraj

The other day when my brother failed to pick me from airport on my way back to Cochin from Delhi, i decided to try out Bus trip from airport. i came out of the airport and looked for sign boards which show the departure time for the buses from airport. i was under the impression that the newly introduced low floor buses that ply between Airport and Aroor would have improved the situation. Unfortunately, i could not find any sign boards there. i was stuck for a moment; what is next?

i could see a regular KSRTC bus waiting on the bay. i went and asked the conductor about the low floor bus. He was not so enthused by my question. He replied that his bus would be starting at 5 PM. Oh, i forgot to mention when did a land in the airport. i had come out of the airport at 4.30 PM !i found that that bus was going to Allapuzha via Vyttilla. I was happy that i could get down at Vyttila to change the bus on my way to home. i thought of waiting for some more time before i get into bus. i was still looking for the low floor bus to come for two reasons; i have not traveled in low floor bus and as a typical Malayali, i was more interested to take it from airport! i was surprised by the fact that no one has any idea about when the bus comes and leaves the airport. when i asked a few staff members of airport,they did not have any idea about it.

when KSRTC bus to Alapuzha was started, i could understand that it is arranged at the convenience of staff of airport than looking at the passengers flow at that time. between 4PM and 5.30 there are many domestic flights landing in airport and i understand most of the passengers are to nearby districts like Kottayam and Allapuzha and even Pathanamthitta. They are in dire needs of transport arrangement like buses. it is high time that there is a coordination amongst the airport authorities and transport department. i am sure low floor buses would not run on loss in that case!