RTA yet to modify bus routes in city

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) is yet to modify the haphazard bus routes in Kozhikode city that organically evolved from the 1960s and 70s.

Previously, many stakeholders, including private bus operators, had questioned the rationale behind the proposal to rework the existing routes without proper studies.

It was then that the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Calicut (NIT-C) and the Department of Town and Country Planning were tasked to prepare a blueprint for the purpose. Subsequently, a report was submitted to the RTA about two years ago.

Bus terminals

The report focuses on providing an efficient bus transportation system for Kozhikode urban area based on travel time and cost for commuters. One of the major proposals was the establishment of bus terminals at Cheruvannur in the south, Elathur in the north, Medical College in the east and Palayam at the centre of the city.

Commuters have been left with no choice but to seek different modes of transport with the RTA failing to take any positive steps. The increase in the volume of private vehicles on the streets has been creating traffic congestion at many arterial junctions. It was found that only 35% of road users utilised bus as their mode of travel. Both private and State-owned KSRTC rarely ply on the Karaparamba-East Hill-West Hill-Chungam stretch of the mini bypass and the stretch from Vengalam to Idimuzhikkal is 28.12 km of the Kozhikode Bypass.

Thus, if a commuter wants to commute from Thadambattuthazham or Florican Road to West Hill, the person has to take a bus to East Nadakkavu, walk up to West Nadakkavu on the Kannur Road, then take another bus to West Hill, to reach the destination.