KSRTC’s bus shelter on prime NH land turns into illegal parking area in TVM

Parassala: The bus shelter located on prime land owned by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) beside the national highway at Thannimmodu Junction in Amaravila, near Parassala, in Thiruvananathapuram district, has become an unauthorised parking area, forcing passengers to wait under the sky, braving the sun and rain.

Several two-wheelers could be seen parked around and inside the bus shelter. The encroachment starts early in the morning, when commuters heading to the capital city for employment leave their vehicles at the shelter and board buses to their workplaces. In fact, this has been the situation for several years now.

The bus shelter has a long history. It was built before the formation of Kerala, when the erstwhile royals of Travencore introduced bus services on the Thiruvananthapuram-Nagercoil route. Soon, the residents of Amaravila donated 10 cents of land free of cost to build the bus shelter at Thannimoodu Junction. Around 20 years ago, a comfort station was also constructed behind the bus shelter. However, this facility has now gone to waste due to a lack of maintenance.

Residents have urged the KSRTC to develop and properly utilise the land, which is worth crores of rupees, for the benefit of both passengers and the Corporation.