Kochi: Railway passengers getting down at Kayamkulam Junction are forced to walk more than 15 minutes to reach the nearest bus stop as most of the buses do not enter railway station premises.
It is pitiable to see people coming from distant places carrying infants and belonging trek all the way from the station to the main road on foot as it is a luxury for many to depend on an auto rickshaw.
The mammoth bus stand built in front of the railway station using taxpayers money stands stands haunted as hardly any bus enters it.
A trader in the area told thenewsskerala.com
that “buses don’t enter the stand on holidays. During working days some buses enter the bus stand. Things became worse after the pandemic struck the state.”
The matter becomes more serious as most of the foreign and domestic visitors to Mata AmritanandaMayi ashram detrain at Kayankulam to reach Vallikkavu where the ashram is located.
Those going to the ashram have to travel to the state-owned KSRTC bus stand or the private stand at Kayamkulam to get a bus Oachira from where they have to board another bus to Vallikkavu.
Some of the KSRTC or private buses could be diverted via Vallikkavu to find a solution to the problem.
There is not a single bus taking people to the ashram which helps the central government to earn heavy foreign exchange and pay huge taxes to the state government.
Since the central government has no role in it, the state government has to look into it.
The ashram provides solace to hundreds of depressed souls, generates hundreds of direct and indirect employment, feeds a large number of devotees three times a day, gives shelter to many and the like.
Photo Credit: newsskerala.com
