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Demand to augment comfortable public transport buses along NH 66 to reduce dependence on private vehicles
The article reports a push to improve public transport connectivity along NH 66 as four/six-laning nears completion. It quotes a senior MVD official urging KSRTC to upgrade its fleet and calls for private-sector competition on long-distance routes, while a transport enthusiast highlights a sharp decline in private buses and low bus density in Kerala.
Why It Matters
Enhancing bus connectivity along NH 66 could reduce traffic snarls, accidents, and dependence on private vehicles in a key corridor, influencing public transport policy and competition between operators.
Timeline
5 Events
Public transport advocate's assessment of private bus decline
April 23, 2026
Ebenser Chullikkat, a public transport enthusiast, notes the sharp decline in private buses and asserts the state has around 0.50 buses per 1,000 people, below the national average of 1.33.
Policy recommendations by MVD official
April 23, 2026
A senior Motor Vehicles department official urged KSRTC to purchase spacious, high-quality buses and called for competition on long-distance routes by permitting high-quality private buses to operate alongside KSRTC services.
Future infrastructure timeline: NH 66 four/six-laning completion projected in about a year
April 23, 2026
The article states that the four/six-laning of the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod NH 66 is expected to be completed in approximately one year.
Article published reporting demand to augment NH 66 public transport connectivity
April 23, 2026
The article reports demand to augment comfortable public transport bus connectivity along the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasaragod NH 66 corridor to reduce private vehicle use as four/six-laning is expected to be completed in about a year. It notes concerns that KSRTC may not meet demand, and calls for allowing high-quality private buses to operate alongside KSRTC services, along with recommendations for KSRTC to purchase spacious, high-quality buses.
Historical context: decline in private buses in Kerala
2016
The article cites a decade-long decline in private buses in Kerala from 35,000 to fewer than 10,000 at present.