The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is contemplating a detailed study into the feasibility of using compressed natural gas (CNG) as a cheap alternative fuel to run its buses in view of hike in price of high speed diesel.

The exhaustive study is being planned as the KSRTC management is still sceptical about the Rs.100 crore CNG plant proposed by the Union Petroleum ministry for Kochi to overcome the crisis of having to pay market rates for HSD.

Scheme announced in Union budget

The move to purchase another 10,000 buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and enhanced support in the 12th Five Year Plan will give an impetus to the bus transport system in the State. The decision to purchase the buses was announced in the Union budget as the 14,524 buses already on the road had made a big contribution to the urban transport system. A sum of Rs.14,873 crore has been allocated in the budget and a significant portion is to support the purchase of 10,000 buses.

Bank’s pre-appraisal mission says worrying increases in cost estimates need serious review

The World Bank has expressed reservation on the ‘slow progress’ in completing acquisition of the remaining land needed for the second phase of the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP) that aims at world-class development of 367 km of State highways. The pre-appraisal mission led by World Bank senior transport economist Simon D. Ellis, who was in the State recently to review the project, said the “progress on land acquisition which has not progressed since the last mission and the worrying increases in cost estimates need serious review.”

19 stations in 22.20-km from Technocity to Karamana

A 22.20-km monorail, an elevated rail-based mass rapid transit system (MRTS), has been recommended in the Technocity – Pallippuram – Kazhakuttom – Uloor –Kesavadasapuram – Pattom – Palayam – Thampanoor –Killipalam - Karamana stretch of the capital.

The Monorail, with 19 stations in the first phase, will have provisions to extend to the south up to Neyyattinkara in Phase II and towards north as the Technocity expands, as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR) prepared by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and presented to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Tuesday.

Passengers on long-haul trains will soon be saved from the stink from the coach toilets with Railways kicking off a green initiative in the State on Thursday to introduce “odourless” and hygienic bio-toilets aboard.

Train no. 16316/16315 Kochuveli-Bangalore Express has become the first train from the State and in Southern Railways to have bio-toilets on all compartments. The rake has arrived at Kochuveli.

The proposed monorail project in Kozhikode received a shot in the arm on Tuesday with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitting the detailed project report to the State government and expressing willingness to take it up from September.

The first phase of the monorail, a mass rapid transit system, covering 14.2 km with 15 stations starting from the Government Medical College hostel area to Meenchanda, can be executed in 36 months at a cost of Rs. 1,991 crore. The entire alignment is elevated, carried on single pillars generally along the median of the road.

Study report submitted to Chief Minister

A 41.8-km monorail, an elevated rail-based mass rapid transit system (MRTS), has been found feasible for implementation in the capital city in the busy Pallippuram-Ulloor-Overbridge-Killipalam-Neyyattinkara corridor on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) mode.

MRTS can carry up to 20,000 people an hour: Natpac study

Monorail, a mass rapid transit system (MRTS) mooted for the city, is expected to reduce dependence on personalised modes of transport and take away 40 per cent of the present vehicular traffic off the road.

To help upgrade 367 km of State highways

The World Bank (WB) has agreed to fund a high-tech building to house the headquarters of the Public Works Department. It will also fund the upgrade of 367 km of State highways under the second phase of the Kerala State Transport Project (KSTP).

Drive on against hawkers who encroach upon footpath

A series of measures has been initiated by the city police to check illegal parking of vehicles on roads and footpath, and to ensure that road users are fully benefitted by the road corridors that have been developed under the City Road Improvement Project (CRIP) in the capital.