Kochi: As part of the formation of Metro Cochin Transport Corporation (MCTC), a special purpose vehicle to manage the urban transport sector, a meeting of stakeholders convened by the mayor Tony Chammany has proposed that the civic body look at taking over the JNNURM low floor buses from KSRTC or have its own bus services.

Another major proposal was to run buses on a public private participation (PPP) basis with the corporation having 51 per cent stake and the rest with government employees and the public.
The meeting also mooted incorporating all private buses plying on city routes to be under the MCTC. Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation member James Vadakkan is to be entrusted with conducting a feasibility study and submitting the report.

It was also proposed to request the government to constitute an exclusive SPV for Kochi in the urban transport sector. Since the Centre has already issued guidelines for JNNURM Phase II, formation of an SPV and Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) is mandatory to get funds for the urban transport sector and additional low floor buses.  The authority will function as a coordinating agency integrating various stakeholder departments.

There is an increased public demand for an independent authority to co-ordinate public transport in a developing metropolis like Kochi. In many other metros in the country, city transport authorities are coordinating urban transport, the meeting observed.

Deputy mayor B. Bhadra, standing committee chairpersons, corporation secretary Ajith Patil, James Vadakkan, Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development director Rajan Chedambath and Centre for Public Policy Research chairman D. Dhanuraj also attended the meeting.