Thodupuzha: The strike by private bus owners demanding an increase in ticket prices is complete in the district. KSRTC buses operated as usual. Most schools did not work yesterday. Protests led by the Bus Owners Association were held in all major towns. Thodupuzha district president KK Thomas, secretary KK Ajithkumar, vice president KM Salim and state council member Joby Mathew led the strike.
Marayoor
The strike affected plantation workers and other commuters in Marayoor, Kanthalloor and Thottam areas. The students also found it difficult.
അടിമാലി
Travelers to rural areas were severely affected. The KSRTC bus service to Rajakadu, Rajakumari, Senapati, Shanthanpara, Kunchithanni, Mankulam, Muniyara, Murikkassery and Chelachuvad was only nominal. Most people rely on parallel services. At the same time, the increase in KSRTC services to Adimali-Munnar and Adimali-Kothamangalam areas has brought relief to passengers.
Kattappana
The rural areas experienced a lot of travel difficulties. Many had to rely on taxis. The KSRTC buses experienced good congestion in the morning and evening. KSRTC operated 29 bus services from Kattappana depot yesterday. As of last day, there were 28 services. Another service was run to Kottayam at 10 am yesterday. There are buses to start more services but the shortage of staff is causing difficulties. The Kattappana depot, which requires 118 drivers and 92 conductors, currently has only 62 conductors and 76 drivers.
നെഡുംകണ്ടം
There was no significant crisis as trip jeeps and autorickshaws ply the service to rural areas. The students were the ones who suffered the most. Nedumkandam KSRTC has operated 9 long distance services from its bus operating center. The service was operated to Kottayam, Ernakulam, Changanassery and Thiruvananthapuram.
Peermede
Passengers were relieved when private buses operated shuttle services on the Kumily-Elappara route. Services from Kumily and Elappara were as usual. This has enabled students and others to reach schools on time. But by noon the number of passengers was low. Kuttikkanam – Passengers and students were stranded on the Kattappana route. KSRTC services are scarce on the monopoly route of private buses.
Most of the students arrived at the school in shuttle jeeps and autorickshaws. In many places they had to pay exorbitant wages. Government employees and employees working in private companies were really hard hit. Not only could he not reach the offices on time but he was too late to return home. However, there was no traffic congestion on KK Road due to continuous operation of KSRTC services.
Thodupuzha
No private buses ran. KSRTC had said it would run additional services on major routes but none of the existing rural services from the depot had been run apart from the existing trips. With this, those who used to rely only on private buses were in great distress.
The children in the smaller classes were also very worried as the exams were being held in schools. Plus classes and colleges did not work due to the lack of buses. Employees who used to rely on private buses to reach government and private offices were also worried. The strike also hit the trade sector hard.