Why are TNSTC buses diverted now via Guindy and Pallavaram?
Posted on: 18/Feb/2021 9:20:51 AM
The transport department has diverted the TNSTC buses originating from CMBT in Koyambedu via Guindy and Pallavaram now to avoid paying user fee at Vanagaram toll gate on Chennai bypass road.
It was brought out by the police department that this diversion of buses has led to traffic jams on the GST Road in the peak hours of time. The transport department was of the view that just 30% buses have been diverted via Inner Ring Road or IRR and GST Road. Truth is that all the mofussil buses running for multiple trips routed towards GST Road. At the Vanagaram toll gate, each bus has to pay an amount of Rs 9800 for fifty trips per month.
An approximate amount of Rs 61lakhs per month is being paid by the transport corporations for 650 buses that are operated from CMBT in Koyambedu. At the national highway tollgates, an electronic toll payment system has been implemented and TNSTC buses are expected to exhaust 50 trips within a week of time. It was for this reason that the TN government introduced the idea of diverting the buses through non toll roads whenever possible. After the government bus crew picketed the highway, the vehicular movement was disrupted on ten Tambaram- Tindivanam national highway.
It must be noted that around 830am the traffic police diverted the buses coming from places like Cuddalore, Villupuram etc to Koyambedu via bypass road. Some TNSTC bus drivers highlighted that they did not have enough money to pay the user fee at the toll gate at Vanagaram on the bypass road and were told to drive the buses via Guindy. Information collected is the police personnel insisted the drivers take the buses via Chennai bypass road to avoid traffic congestion near the airport. This was done because of the arrival of Mr. Rahul Gandhi at the airport.
As per a police officer, no intimation was received from the transport corporation for diverting the buses through GST Road. He added that at the time of construction of the bypass road the transport corporations have agreed to divert its buses through the express highway. In a day, GST handles more than one lakh vehicles and this was according to an official data. It must be recalled that in 2019 after the Chennai metro rail was reopened many SETC buses were routed to GST Road. It is brought out by the traffic police personnel that if TNSTC buses get diverted through the same route then the stretch would suffer from huge vehicular pile and this would increase the travel time in the peak hours.
Out of a total of 650 buses just 200 buses were diverted through GST Road and this was mentioned by a senior officer belonging to the transport department.
