MTC CITES POOR PATRONAGE
Lone bus service scrapped, Pallikaranai residents suffer
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:14.01.2019
After cutting down one of the two mini-buses connecting interior parts of Pallikaranai to Vijayanagar bus stand in Velachery in October, four weeks back, the second bus was also stopped, scrapping the service altogether.
While the reason given by MTC to discontinue S 93 mini-bus service was poor patronage, residents and frequent commuters refute it, saying the buses were always crowded. “Interior parts like Kamakoti Nagar, Anna MGR Nagar and Thulukathaman Kovil Road don’t have public transport, except autorickshaws. The mini-buses were very useful for people to access the Velachery-Tambaram Main Road,” said N Sundaram, president of Federation of Residents Welfare Association, Pallikaranai.
Residents in several areas now either have to shell out money for autos or walk for at least 1.5km to reach the bus stop on the Velachery-Tambaram Main Road. The two buses used to make10 trips each a day.
“There are several people who can’t afford to take an auto. The MTC officials who wanted the service to make high profits should have considered the plight of scores of people who depend on the bus service. The bus service, started in December 2016, was a boon for us,” said K Srinivasan, a resident of AGS Colony. He added that autorickshaw drivers make a killing, burning a hole in their pockets.
“Even before October, the bus service was very erratic. The buses would not start at the designated time and there wouldn’t be any trips in the afternoon. Despite filing petitions with the chief minister’s cell, action was not taken,” said another resident, Jayram. An MTC branch manager in Adambakkam said the second bus was operated despite huge loss. “We are trying to restart the second service. It may be started after Pongal,” said the official.
Lone bus service scrapped, Pallikaranai residents suffer
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:14.01.2019
After cutting down one of the two mini-buses connecting interior parts of Pallikaranai to Vijayanagar bus stand in Velachery in October, four weeks back, the second bus was also stopped, scrapping the service altogether.
While the reason given by MTC to discontinue S 93 mini-bus service was poor patronage, residents and frequent commuters refute it, saying the buses were always crowded. “Interior parts like Kamakoti Nagar, Anna MGR Nagar and Thulukathaman Kovil Road don’t have public transport, except autorickshaws. The mini-buses were very useful for people to access the Velachery-Tambaram Main Road,” said N Sundaram, president of Federation of Residents Welfare Association, Pallikaranai.
Residents in several areas now either have to shell out money for autos or walk for at least 1.5km to reach the bus stop on the Velachery-Tambaram Main Road. The two buses used to make10 trips each a day.
“There are several people who can’t afford to take an auto. The MTC officials who wanted the service to make high profits should have considered the plight of scores of people who depend on the bus service. The bus service, started in December 2016, was a boon for us,” said K Srinivasan, a resident of AGS Colony. He added that autorickshaw drivers make a killing, burning a hole in their pockets.
“Even before October, the bus service was very erratic. The buses would not start at the designated time and there wouldn’t be any trips in the afternoon. Despite filing petitions with the chief minister’s cell, action was not taken,” said another resident, Jayram. An MTC branch manager in Adambakkam said the second bus was operated despite huge loss. “We are trying to restart the second service. It may be started after Pongal,” said the official.
No comments:
Post a Comment