Public transportation in Ernakulam was in Kerala hit following the Statewide token strike called by the Joint Committee of private bus owners on Tuesday to press its various demands that include renewal of expired permits without delay and revision of student concession rates.
The daily commuters had a tough time as about 1, 300 private buses in the district stayed away from the roads as part of the strike. The otherwise busy Vyttila Mobility Hub wore a muted look in the morning as passengers had to depend on the services operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to reach their destinations.
T. Gopinathan, general convener of the Joint Committee of private bus owners, said that the entire fleet of private buses remained off the roads completely.
KSRTC operated an additional 25 services from the Ernakulam depot in the morning in its efforts to ease the woes faced by the daily commuters. An official at the depot said that most of these additional trips were operated along the Kottayam, Paravur, Piravom and Cherthala routes.
The private bus owners across Kerala have also warned of an indefinite strike from July 22, if the government fails to address their long-pending demands that include withdrawal of the directive converting limited-stop buses into ordinary services and cancellation of the requirement for police clearance certificates for bus workers, among others.
Published – July 08, 2025 10:50 am IST
