Erattupetta: A woman from Melukavu has successfully challenged the decision of KSRTC staff that prevented premium buses from stopping near her home at night. It is Shyla Manikuttan of Puthiyathu House in Kanjiramkavala, who has won an order set to benefit all passengers travelling late at night.

Shyla’s daughter, Lakshmipriya, works as a software developer in Thiruvananthapuram. On Saturdays, she travels home on the Thiruvananthapuram–Kalpetta superfast bus and returns by the same service. However, after the bus was upgraded to `Premium' status, staff informed passengers that it would no longer stop at the Kanjiramkavala bus stop near their home around midnight. The next stop was 15 kilometres away in Thodupuzha. Shyla conveyed the difficulties this caused her daughter to the private secretary of Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar.

Although the secretary requested that Shyla hand over the phone to the bus conductor, he refused to receive the phone. Following this, the secretary rang up the conductor directly. Shyla also filed a complaint with the Transport Commissioner the following day.

As a result, an order was issued requiring all KSRTC buses, including Premium services, except for the `Minnal Service', to stop at locations requested by passengers travelling at night.

Commenting on the new order, Shyla said, “I did not file the complaint to trouble anyone. At a time when the number of girls travelling at night is increasing, I hope such decisions are not made based solely on anyone’s complaints.”