The Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA), the first such body in India having legislative backing, has become next to defunct, around three years since its commissioning in November 2020.
The authority that was launched with the assurance of revolutionising and seamlessly integrating public transport systems in Kochi, by acting as an umbrella body of stakeholders in the civic and enforcement agencies concerned, was in hibernation mode during the past year. The situation turned worse early this year when two technical experts (who were the sole employees) quit their posts, citing how they were left with little to do, in the absence of an administrative system.
This has resulted in its managing director, an IAS officer, left with none to support him and to implement decisions taken at its director board meetings.
