A Date with Public Transport in Kochi

KOCHI:
Kochi Public Transport Day, a year-long movement by the residents of Kochi will be launched on 27th January.
Soumini Jain, Kochi Mayor, elected representatives, government officials, celebrities and civil society members are expected to participate and launch the campaign on Saturday. The supporters of the campaign will wear a blue ribbon in solidarity with the objectives of the campaign.
In a bid to encourage people to use public transport, Kochi-based think tank Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) along with the city corporation, elected representatives, government departments and stakeholders in the city’s public transport system, including KSRTC, KMRL, Water Metro, Private Bus Owners Association and Chambers of Commerce and Industry, will organise the public transport day.
One day every month will be celebrated as Kochi Public Transport Day, with a different theme assigned for each month. A dedicated and informative website, public forums and discussions, as well as competitions directed at school and college students, are planned in addition to various other activities to create awareness, encourage, and attract the residents of Kochi to use public transport.
About Kochi Public Transport Day
Kochi is home to nearly 2.1 million people. About 50% of them commute to and from work every day. Amongst the daily commuters, close to 45% rely on private transport, which translates to the use of nearly 100,000 cars within the city limits daily.
The aim of the project is two-fold – to create public awareness and to study the gaps in the existing public transport system. The primary target of the campaign is private vehicle users. The critical innovation introduced in the project will be the novel campaign methodology, attracting public to use the public transport more, alongside an analytical approach involving research, surveys and data collection.
Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) proposes to conduct a yearlong campaign to create awareness on the use of public transport. The primary target of the campaign is private vehicle users.
One day every month will be designated as Kochi Public Transport Day, with a different theme assigned for each. The first Kochi Public Transport Day in January 2018 will mark the launch of this year-long campaign.
A dedicated interactive website, public forums and discussions as well as competitions directed at school and college students are planned in addition to various other activities to create awareness and attract the residents of Kochi to use public transport. The aim of the project is two-fold – to create public awareness and to study the gaps in the existing public transport system. The campaign is held in conjunction with local administration, civil society organizations, and residents of Kochi.
The critical innovation introduced in the project will be the novel campaign methodology, attracting public to use the public transport more, alongside an analytical approach involving research, surveys and data collection.