Exciting Milestone: Kochi Metro Celebrates Arrival of First 15 Electric Feeder Buses in September
Thiruvananthapuram has leveraged an early advantage in electric bus deployment, with KSRTC operating around 120 e-buses on 48 routes, procured under the Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Limited (SCTL) initiative. In stark contrast, Kochi’s metro system is set to receive its long-awaited fleet of feeder buses by September. According to sources, 15 air-conditioned electric buses will commence operations, connecting metro stations to commercial hubs and suburban towns. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) had earlier this year ordered 32 e-buses after KSRTC’s reported bus shortages hampered the provision of adequate feeder services.
The delivery of these buses, initially expected in June, has been postponed. The new 9-metre-long buses, designed to navigate traffic efficiently, will soon have their routes finalized. Discussions are ongoing with KSEB to secure uninterrupted power supply for charging stations at select metro stations. Currently, the number of e-buses in Ernakulam district remains minimal, except for some leased buses operating between Aluva metro station and the international airport, located approximately 10 km away.
Proposals to implement feeder bus services from metro stations date back to 2017 with the launch of the metro’s Aluva-Palarivattom corridor. These buses aim to improve first- and last-mile connectivity, thus increasing patronage in the 28-km Aluva-Thripunithura metro corridor. Boosting commuter numbers beyond the current daily average of 1 lakh is vital to bridging the revenue-expenditure gap. The metro has been facing a daily loss of around ₹1 crore due to lower-than-expected footfall and insufficient non-ticketing revenue.
By enhancing connectivity through these feeder buses, Kochi Metro aims to attract more commuters, thereby stabilizing its financial health and ensuring sustainable urban mobility.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Kochi/kochi-metro-to-get-its-first-batch-of-15-electric-feeder-buses-in-september/article68445922.ece
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