Small bus services in Chennai now reduced by MTC
Posted on: 02/Feb/2019 9:42:41 AM
In the beginning when small bus services were introduced they were used by many people and these buses became very popular. It is now said that share autos have been used by many people for their last mile connectivity and MTC is now slowly reducing the number of small buses and in some places these small bus services no longer exist. It is important to note that initially MTC had a fleet of 100 small buses and it increased to 200 due to their demand from the interior places in Chennai city.
The point is places such as Pallikaranai, Nanganallur, West Velachery, Chromepet, Guduvanchery, West Mambalam, parts of Saidapet, Mogappair, Moolakadai, Retteri and MKB Nagar etc got benefited from these small bus services. Now instead of small buses the commuters are preferring share autos and other modes of transport to reach their places of destination.
Many factors like increase in the number of share autos, inadequate number of small busses, uneconomical routes plus hike in the wages of drivers and conductors, Chennai metro operating its own share autos etc were said to be reasons for commuters preferring share autos over small buses.
According to a senior official belonging to MTC, every day on average 180 small buses are operated and since the small buses are no longer financially viable the administration had lost interest in operating the small bus services. As per a resident of Nanganallur it is clear that the frequency of bus route S85 (Alandur Metro to Velachery) and S11 (Alandur Metro to Moovarasampet) had reduced. Operation of small bus services like S12, S13, S93 have been stopped by MTC now.
The small bus services have been of huge advantage for those living in the interior parts of Avadi because if these small buses were not available then the residents would have to spend more money for transportation. It is superb to mention here that decent collections have been recorded in the small bus services between Avadi- Poonamallee, Avadi- Thiruninravur, Avadi- Pattabhiram and Avadi-Mittanamalee etc. It is revealed that MTC officials have got different plans for the new 100 small buses that were planned earlier to be added to the fleet.
