Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) has asked the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to revise private bus schedules across Kochi, saying the existing standard of 2.5 minutes per kilometre is outdated and no longer reflects current traffic conditions. The proposed changes are intended to reduce reckless racing between buses and improve road safety for commuters and pedestrians.
The recommendation was made at the first KMTA meeting since the authority was formed, held at the Kochi Metro Rail Ltd corporate office in Kaloor under the leadership of transport minister C P John. District collector G Priyanka said private buses were still operating according to schedules prepared nearly two decades ago, when the city had fewer vehicles and different travel patterns.
“The buses still follow the schedule formed nearly two decades ago, and the same is not practical in the current traffic scenario as the number of vehicles has gone up substantially,” Priyanka said. The meeting recommended that the RTA scientifically assess and revise bus schedules across the city so that operators are not pressured to meet unrealistic journey times.
The scheduling issue is closely linked to passenger and pedestrian safety. KMTA identified the elimination of racing between private buses as a priority, while also deciding to install widened zebra crossings at major high-density intersections. High Court Junction, Kaloor Junction and Menaka were among the locations identified for the pedestrian-safety measures.
The authority also said municipal parking facilities should be expanded and that stricter enforcement would be required to prevent illegal street parking. Such parking has been identified in the meeting as an issue affecting the use of city roads, although the report did not specify the number of facilities to be added or the enforcement timeline.
The meeting also addressed KMTA’s institutional and financial capacity. Two subcommittees were formed to strengthen the authority’s legal framework and implementation capabilities. A statutory amendments subcommittee, comprising town planners, Smart City representatives and transport experts, will draft proposed changes to the KMTA Act. A finance subcommittee will work on long-term funding and financial sustainability.
Officials and public representatives will also visit Bengaluru and Chennai to study their integrated urban transit models. The delegation is expected to examine regional approaches that could inform Kochi’s transport planning. The meeting included T J Vinod MLA, mayor V K Minimol, additional chief secretary for finance K R Jyothilal, transport commissioner G Sparjan Kumar, city police commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar, transport secretary T V Anupama and representatives of local bodies and government departments.
The KMTA discussion also raised the question of whether Kochi’s existing bus network matches the city’s current geography. D Dhanuraj, chairperson of the Centre for Public Policy Research, said the city had expanded, new transport infrastructure had been added and residents’ travel patterns had changed. He argued that new routes should connect more parts of the city and that short-loop circular services could reduce dependence on congested arterial roads.
The current point-to-point system often directs buses through heavily congested roads, Dhanuraj said, adding that new routes and circular loops could offer a more efficient public-transport network. The next steps are the RTA’s schedule review, preparation of proposed statutory amendments and the planned study visit to Bengaluru and Chennai.
