Kochi has been boasting about something new recently. And that is the Vytilla bus terminal which has been in the news for its unique features and success. So now there is something more which is hitting the news. The work of the second phase of the Vytilla bus terminal-cum-mobility hub will begin soon.

The work for parking 40 cars near the hub is on, and meanwhile, there are other works which is going on this side as well. Unlike the usual government initiatives which take too much of time to complete, the Vytilla hub is completing its work in a smooth yet fast manner. Measures have been taken to ensure the cleanliness in this area as well. Another good news will be that the inter-state busses (to Kerala) run by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments will be permitted to open ticket counters in the terminal.

So with so many smart initiatives being done let us hope that Vytilla mobility hub is getting set for its betterment.

Traffic chaos, busses over speeding right towards you, autorickshaws taking a toll over your patience? All this happens in Kochi and that too during the wee hours of traffic. With demolition of North RoB, and traffic being deviated to other routes (from the main roads), Kochiites are currently undergoing their patience check.

Many projects, which will help in reducing traffic congestion in the city, are in the to-do list for our state government. And here is yet another one. A ring road that connects East Kochi to the new Vytilla Mobility Hub will be built soon.

This definitely will be a blessing to Kochiites who come from the other side of the city. They will not have to wait in the long traffic jams, and can reach Vytilla (a major junction in Kochi), at ease. The plan has already been approved by authorities including the Chief Minister of Kerala. A four lane road will be built for the ring road, and this will make travelling inside the city less complicated.

You might have to wait a little longer for this. Government is in the look-out for finance to fund for the project. Till then Kochiites need to go through the traffic turmoil and menace!

Kochi is going International. Thanks to the new projects and endeavors coming up. From Smart city to Cyber city, Metro rail and more, progress is happening at a rapid rate. Transportation across Kochi has always been a major concern. The recent traffic diversions have taken a toll over Kochiites’ patience too. But here is something which comes as a respite from all the mayhem you have been going through over the last few weeks.

Vytilla Bus Terminal has been in the news for some good reasons. A bus terminal that goes in par with the standards of an airport, Vytilla terminal has much to boast about. Happy news! Vytilla Bus Terminal is opened 24×7, from the 17^th of October. With more than 3000 busses plying from the terminal, this one is going to change the face of commuting in Kochi.

The hub is designed well, and even though there are shopkeepers and people who are rushing into the terminal premises to sell their products, the officials are pretty strict about not letting anyone into the terminal. This might lead to losing the sheen of the terminal.

If you are not amongst those who travel in busses across the city, make sure you at least check out Vytilla Bus Terminal. Do not miss that one!

Kochi, get ready to witness a new water route! The Kerala State Water Department (KSWTD) plans to introduce a new water route that will link Vytilla Mobility hub with other parts of the city. So doesn’t that mean Kochiites find a respite from the traffic woes that are more than a menace to us?

The officials have taken up the plan seriously, and it will be implemented soon. You can travel in a 50 seater passenger boat, and KSWTD has sought the permissions for using the tourist boat hub at the terminal. The boat with an upper and lower deck will be classified into two different categories. When the upper deck will be exclusively for tourists, lower deck will be for commuters across Kochi.

This initiative will be a boon for people who want to travel to Kochi city premises from Thripunithura, Aroor, etc. Now all that is required is a nod from the government, and let’s hope this new project facilitates in reducing the traffic congestion in the city and makes things easier for Kochiites as well as for authorities too.

Kochi is growing, and nobody can deny that. Is this growth enough or do we need a more powerful thrust so that we can plunge ourselves out of this state of somber mediocrity? Progress implies radical thinking towards a positive note, it does not merely lie in the number of shopping malls or high rise buildings or the number of cars managing to maneuver around the city.

Our government and authorities have failed to prove themselves to be of little or any consequence, and without the presence of a strong body, there’s a heavy limit imposed on how much we as individuals can contribute.The Travancore Cochin literary, scientific and charitable societies registration act of 1955 has sustained various organizations like the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, the Kerala Folklore Akademi, the Kerala State Information Technology Mission etc; all of them proving to be a pivotal presence in the growth and development of a society striving to be greater than itself. Another such organization currently stealing the limelight is the Kerala Urban Development Society (KUDS), aimed at assisting various governmental and non governmental organizations like the KSEB, GCDA, PWD, Corporation of Cochin etc so as to guarantee the best of investments they put in for their urban developmental strategies. They deal with projects that revolve around City planning and design, Transportation designing, Heritage conservation, Pollution / carbon emission control etc.

If they do manage to overcome the usual hurdles that they are bound to face, here’s what Kochiites will be looking forward to : the much awaited wider roads, continuous power supply, multilevel car parking facilities, functioning traffic signal systems, dwellings for the middle and lower income classes, various community centers, heritage tourism promotion, climate control campaigns and meets, fund raisers and public auctions along with various seminars and town hall meetings on city developmental issues. In other words a better Kochi, by an unimaginably massive margin.

The Kochi Art and Science Space (KASS) is an educational initiative taken up by KUDS that ensures the creation of a science space museum and an important art space in Kochi. If delivered, this kind of exposure and reach could be a vital center of growth, particularly for students and budding intellects on whom the country’s future undoubtedly relies upon. Causes such as the KASS are the ones that are worthy of immense public backing and support.

The Association of Young and Progressive Indian Citizens(AYPIC), the youth wing of KUDS, is directed towards motivating the country’s biggest resource, its young population, to join hands and actively participate in this process of change. For this the AYPIC aims to imbue in certain visions among the youth that include Young, Dynamic and Progressive leadership, social equality, poverty eradication, stronger economy and voluntary service.

Growth is forever, and to be truly successful we have to push the limits beyond the skies. Every dream, every thought, every idea has the potential to transform itself into reality if we unite and put our minds to it, and individually do nothing less than the least we can.

Since KUDS being a non profitable organization, we can do our part and support them through donations or offering to volunteer or even enrolling as a member.

For AYPIC, membership is open to all Indian citizens in the age group of 10 to 45 for a nominal fees of Rs.150/- and USD 10/- for NRI’s (Renewal fees Rs.75 and USD 5 for NRI’s).

Contact details:
Mr.Anup Joachim T – The Secretary
Mobile: 9544044440 or 9809909990
Email: anuptj@gmail.com

With the State government sanctioning Rs.121crore-worth works for phase one of the proposed bus terminal-cum-mobility hub on the north-eastern side of Vytilla Junction, the Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO) is expected to submit the detailed drawings and design of the project to the government soon.

The project is slated to come up on 25 acres of land owned by the Agriculture Department beside the Kaniampuzha Road. The department would in all probability be given 18 acres of land owned by the GCDA at Mundamveli, West Kochi, to relocate its unit and the coconut farm.

The foundation stone for the project that is aimed at accommodating mofussil, long-distance and KSRTC buses would be laid as soon as the department hands over the land.

KITCO, the consultants for the construction of the bus terminal, is likely to execute the venture with the help of experts from allied fields. The organisation’s general manager Cyriac Davis said the finer details of the design would be based on the preliminary report prepared by the agency.

It would be submitted to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for funds. Once work begins, the first phase of the project can be completed in around a year.

This includes the bus terminal complex, bus bays, and parking lots for private vehicles and autorickshaws, apart from amenities for passengers and bus crew. The city revenue generating activities, which would necessitate much more funds would be taken up in the second phase .

The State government has already approved the Vytilla project in principle, in December 2009. Prior to commissioning the project, the Edapally Vytilla NH bypass would have to widened to a six lane road, to cater to the manifold increase in the traffic flow that is expected.

As a part of the project, new roads have been planned . Well, obviously , theres a lot more to be done before the actual commissioning of the  project . Lets hope that everything goes well .. Fingers Crossed ..!  :)