State, Centre to improve transport facilities

KOCHI: Transport Minister V S Sivakumar has said the state government would start new endeavours in association with the Central Government for improving the transport facilities in the state. Flagging off a Thiru-Kochi bus started in the Thuthiyoor-Ernakulam route on Tuesday, Sivakumar said the KSRTC would start new services in proportion to its growth rate.The preliminary steps in this regard have been initiated, he said.  To ease the traffic woes of the public, the KSRTC will purchase 1,000 more buses. Of these, 500 buses will start services soon, Sivakumar said.The KSRTC has achieved 10 percent growth over the last fiscal, the Minister said. Around 890 services of KSRTC had been generating loss.  Three Thiru-Kochi buses have been allotted in the Thuthiyoor-Ernakulam route. It is the  first of the three buses that was flagged off on Tuesday. Benny Behanan MLA presided over the meeting.  Thrikkakara municipal chairman P A Mohammed Ali and councillor Noushad Pallachi spoke.