Express press service
KOCHI: Two years after its official opening, the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) is not yet fully operational. Under it, the Kochi Open Mobility Network (KOMN) was to be an apex agency to integrate parking, integrate travel and streamline bus routes in the city.
However, the persistent Covid situation has strongly affected the implementation of the agency’s action plan. “The launch of Yatri, a taxi application, will take place at the end of February. Likewise, the AuSa application, for a shared automatic system, is being tested and will be launched soon,” a KOMN official said. The agency is also studying bus routes to reduce the number of buses on subway-equivalent routes. This should help reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions.
“The pandemic has delayed the launch of the Yatri service and the trial of AuSa. However, attempts are underway to expedite the process and make the services available to the people,” a KMTA official said. The city’s urban mobility area includes Greater Cochin Region, Goshree Development Authority, Kochi Corporation, nine municipalities and 29 panchayats.
“All these areas have a population of at least 21 lakh people. The common rule for public transport is that one lakh people needs 1,000 buses. In this case, it is 2,100 buses. So the goal is to reduce the number of bus services on the road equivalent to the subway trip.When a bus carries 1,000 passengers on a trip, the subway can carry passengers equivalent to 65 buses.This will reduce road transport The same goes for boat services,” a source said.
The official said 40 investigators were tasked with collecting real-time data on bus routes and the total number of buses and bus stops in the city. “The data will help compile a city transit map linking subway, boat and bus services,” the official said.
He said it would take another five to six months to complete the investigation. KOMN is a platform where different transportation apps are made available in a single app for the public to choose a suitable mode of transportation in the city.
What it involves
Under the Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority, the Kochi Open Mobility Network was to be an apex agency to integrate parking, integrate travel and streamline bus routes in the city.
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