The stoppage of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation’s late-night inter-district service from Kozhikode to Wayanad via the Kuttiyadi pass has left many rural passengers in the lurch. Many local commuters are now forced to hire taxi vehicles by paying huge fares in the absence of night service on the mountain pass.
Passengers from the area said the service, which was cancelled during the peak period of the pandemic, was not restored despite assurances from the authorities. They said there was no justifiable reason for discontinuing the service as the route had generated good income for the KSRTC.
One of the main services operated in the Vadakara-Mananthavady route has been suspended for several months. Many commuters, especially from Wayanad, working on late-night shifts depended on the service.
“There were two main late-night services covering the Kuttiyadi pass earlier. Now, there is not even a single service after 8 p.m. Taxi operators are now exploiting the chance,” said Thomas Mattathil, a merchant from Thottilpalam. He said the KSRTC depot at Thottilpalam was not taking the passengers’ issues seriously.
KSRTC sources said the main reason for the delay in resuming the service was the poor condition of the road in the route. The service could be resumed after completion of emergency road renovation works, they added.
