Unauthorised halts slow TNSTC buses

Unauthorised halts slow TNSTC buses

Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.01.2021 

Passengers returning from Villupuram, Vellore and Puducherry and other nearby cities to Chennai in government buses this weekend had a harrowing time.

Many point-to-point and deluxe services, which are supposed to be operated as limited stop services, stopped frequently at unauthorised bus stops after reaching the city’s outskirts, according to several passengers. These buses are operated by TNSTC Villupuram.

Almost once every five kilometres, buses stopped to pick up passengers to Tambaram and Koyambedu. As a result, it took almost three-anda-half to four hours to travel from Tindivanam to Chennai, whereas other buses cover this distance in three hours, said T R Pandian, an activist from Anna Nagar, who frequently travels on this route.

“If drivers and conductors are going to stop in all the bus stops, then what is the point in running deluxe services and charging more?” he asked.

In response, a TNSTC Villupuram official said that the demand for mofussil buses was high during weekends and they have instructed staff to transport as many passengers as possible. “Deluxe services not necessarily mean they shouldn’t stop at intermediate stops,” said the official, who agreed to look into the issue of point-to-point buses stopping at unauthorised stops.

However, official documents suggest that mofussil buses charge ₹3-5 extra for deluxe services for every 10 km compared to ordinary services which halt at all designated bus stops.

TNTSC drivers and conductors said that picking up more passengers meant that they earned more money.