From morning 8 am to evening 8 pm, only 100 MTC buses would run in Chennai
Posted on: 03/Jul/2019 9:42:37 AM
Metropolitan Transport Corporation or MTC in Chennai is now grabbing the attention. On Monday, 1st July 2019, some staffs of MTC went on flash strike as appropriate wages for working overtime was not paid properly for them. This resulted in many difficulties for those people who regularly use MTC buses.
The latest news is hereafter from morning 8 am to 8 pm just 100 MTC buses only would run. It is now said that these buses would no longer be operated in the morning or night shifts leading to longer waiting time. From Monday, 1st July 2019, onwards this change came to effect in the select bus routes.
It must be noted that for example 53 buses were operated along the route number 570 connecting CMBT, Koyambedu to Kelambakkam through Guindy and OMR. These buses were operated round the clock until the last week. Point is from now onwards just 10 MTC buses would be operated from 5 am. These buses would start at 8 am in the morning and would end the trip around 8 pm in the evening. These buses would not be operated in the night shifts.
An official belonging to MTC expressed his views and spoke about how it would be highly beneficial. The first advantage is it would increase the revenue and reduce the operational cost. Since these buses were operated in the peak hours of time more passengers would get benefited. It would help in handling the shortage of staffs also in a better manner and this is another advantage.
On daily basis, more than 400 MTC employees including drivers, conductors and technical crew get absent. This has resulted in keeping 200 MTC buses idle at the bus depots and was later confirmed by the official data. The transport workers were of the opinion that working for 12 to 14 hours at a stretch would affect their health. It is mentioned now by Mr. L. Shanmugham of LPF that the workers of MTC were paid just Rs 500 for their overtime instead of 1.5 times their regular salary. He hinted that school/college students, daily wage labourers, hospital and office goers from suburbs would be affected badly.
A resident of Adambakkam spoke how already MTC bus services on Monday mornings at Koyambedu bus stand, Egmore and Central railway station were not sufficient to transport the people returning to Chennai from their native places. He added that things would become worse now. Information collected is more MTC buses would be diverted to those places if the demand increases.
