Lone bus from Madhavaram terminus puts passengers in a fix
TNN | Oct 21, 2018, 09.15 AM IST
CHENNAI: It’s been 10 days since the state government threw open the Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus (MMBT) for the public, but poor shuttle services towards the southern and western parts of the city is inconveniencing passengers. A lone Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus operates between MMBT and Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus (CMBT) at Koyambedu, while commuters are forced to cross the highway, amid fast approaching speedy vehicles, to board MTC buses.
On Saturday, R Meganathan, of Anna Nagar on his way to Tirupati from MMBT, said inadequate services at Madhavaram causing problems. “Except for route 170A and 121 that passes through Koyambedu, no other MTC buses comes near MMBT. The only other bus from CMBT, route 114, stops on the other side of the Chennai-Tada National Highway and passengers have to risk their lives while crossing the busy junction to access this bus terminus,” he said.
The intercity bus terminus at Madhavaram, built on an area spanning eight acres at a cost ₹95 crore, was inaugurated on October 10. Constructed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), the facility is meant to operate fleets of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). On a daily basis, APSTRC operates 188 services to Tirupati, Nellore, Vijayawada, Kurnool, Puttaparthi, Visakhapatnam, Bhadrachalam and Hyderabad, while TNSTC runs 300 trips to different parts of Tiruvallur besides Nagari and Puthur in the neighbouring state. MTC operates 77 services from MMBT to Tiruvallur district and a lone bus to CMBT.
Commuters rued that they had to pay excess to visit Madhavaram due to non-availability of direct services. Chromepet resident M Anbazhagan, who was visiting Tirupati with his family on Saturday, said he had to take two buses to arrive at MMBT. “We boarded a bus from Chromepet to CMBT and took another to Madhavaram from Koyambedu. For a family of four, we paid ₹148. It would have been cheaper if the MTC ran direct buses,” he said.
When contacted, CMDA sources said the issue has been taken up with the MTC. In the absence of direct services, the official said route 121H from Tambaram is being operated via Madhavaram. “It will be difficult to provide services to different parts of the city from Madhavaram because adequate buses are available at Koyambedu. After reaching CMBT, people can move to any destination in the city,” another MTC official said.
TNN | Oct 21, 2018, 09.15 AM IST
CHENNAI: It’s been 10 days since the state government threw open the Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus (MMBT) for the public, but poor shuttle services towards the southern and western parts of the city is inconveniencing passengers. A lone Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus operates between MMBT and Chennai Moffusil Bus Terminus (CMBT) at Koyambedu, while commuters are forced to cross the highway, amid fast approaching speedy vehicles, to board MTC buses.
On Saturday, R Meganathan, of Anna Nagar on his way to Tirupati from MMBT, said inadequate services at Madhavaram causing problems. “Except for route 170A and 121 that passes through Koyambedu, no other MTC buses comes near MMBT. The only other bus from CMBT, route 114, stops on the other side of the Chennai-Tada National Highway and passengers have to risk their lives while crossing the busy junction to access this bus terminus,” he said.
The intercity bus terminus at Madhavaram, built on an area spanning eight acres at a cost ₹95 crore, was inaugurated on October 10. Constructed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA), the facility is meant to operate fleets of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC). On a daily basis, APSTRC operates 188 services to Tirupati, Nellore, Vijayawada, Kurnool, Puttaparthi, Visakhapatnam, Bhadrachalam and Hyderabad, while TNSTC runs 300 trips to different parts of Tiruvallur besides Nagari and Puthur in the neighbouring state. MTC operates 77 services from MMBT to Tiruvallur district and a lone bus to CMBT.
Commuters rued that they had to pay excess to visit Madhavaram due to non-availability of direct services. Chromepet resident M Anbazhagan, who was visiting Tirupati with his family on Saturday, said he had to take two buses to arrive at MMBT. “We boarded a bus from Chromepet to CMBT and took another to Madhavaram from Koyambedu. For a family of four, we paid ₹148. It would have been cheaper if the MTC ran direct buses,” he said.
When contacted, CMDA sources said the issue has been taken up with the MTC. In the absence of direct services, the official said route 121H from Tambaram is being operated via Madhavaram. “It will be difficult to provide services to different parts of the city from Madhavaram because adequate buses are available at Koyambedu. After reaching CMBT, people can move to any destination in the city,” another MTC official said.
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