Thiruvananthapuram: Transport facilities running parallel to KSRTC services in the capital have stated biting into a major share of profits of the state carrier. With most of this non-authorized tax-free vehicles plying along with the KSRTC buses in all major routes, income has been hit by Rs. 40 lakhs per day.
It is known that the alternate transport, owned by benamis and politicians of the ruling front themselves have been operating scot free with authorities refusing to take any action against them.
In the Nedumangad bus station, where efforts are on to build a model bus station and increase revenue by the CITU-led KSRTEA, there is parallel transport along with every single bus. Some of these are owned by Left groups and others by KSRTC employees themselves.
In the Nedumangad, Neyyattinkara, Kattakada, Chirayinkeezhu regions, there are over 2000 buses plying the track. Of this Nedumangad alone has 350 parallel transport vehicles. The routes along Vellarada, Perungadavila, Poovar, Balaramapuram, Kamukinkodu and Dhanuvachapuram have been entirely taken over.
The tracks along Aruvikkara, Vattappara, Aryanad, Kuttichal, Kottur, Palodu, Peringammala, Vembayam, Pothenkode, Vakkam, Attingal, Karet, Kallara, Muthuvila, Kallambalam, Ponganad and Kilimanoor are flooded with parallel vehicles plying people.
It is known that the mafia is helped by minister’s offices too. A Corporation councilor himself owns four such parallel transport vehicles. Even though lesser in number, the parallel transport is capturing the moving public in the cities too with services concentrated on East Fort, Beemapalli, Poonthura, Attukal, Kalady and St. Andrews.
One interesting matter is that these transport facilities wilfully keep off the tracks where the private buses ply. With the local police and MVD refusing to take action against them and the special squad of the KSRTC being wrapped up such illegal transport has started taking in passengers even from East Fort.
