IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT: Deputy Chief Minister M.K. Stalin gets a feel of one of the new Volvo buses, at the formal event at which several buses were inducted into the MTC fleet in Chennai. Although the Central government has mandated each city to have a transport regulatory authority to avail financing, Chennai has not moved forward to operationalise one. Photo: R. Ragu
TOO FEW AND FAR BETWEEN: MTC buses are unable to meet the demand for transport in Chennai. Passengers are seen waiting for MTC Buses at Anna Salai. Photo: M. Karunakaran
MONEY WELL SPENT? A deluxe bus belonging to the MTC after it crashed into a mini lorry on 100 feet road Near Periar Pathai, Choolaimedu. Rash driving is often cited as the cause of such crashes. Photo: B. Velankanni Raj
MIGHT AND RIGHT : Students of a Chennai college campaign for their college elections. Photo: K.V.Srinivasan
JUNK ON WHEELS: Several Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses in the city run without the instrumentation and controls mandated by the Motor Vehicles Act. The drivers have to operate these difficult truck-chassis vehicles, unsuitable for passenger operations, in crowded city conditions. Photo: M. Karunakaran
SURVIVAL LESSON: In the suburbs of Chennai where housing is cheaper, residents must cope with poor bus service. Students risk life and limb travelling to school and back. Photo: A. Muraleetharan.
WHAT'S DELUXE ABOUT THIS? All these passengers must pay deluxe fares. MTC buses plying towards western suburbs are often very crowded. A scene at Ambattur Estate bus terminus. Photo: K. Pichumani
SCOPE FOR GROWTH: Although economic growth necessitates more travel, the Tamil Nadu Government has not augmented the MTC fleet correspondingly. The city now begins the long wait for the Metro rail. Even when it does come, will it provide integrated transport on a single ticket, that combines bus and rail? Photo: S. Thanthoni. NICAID:111751496
LONG HAUL: Although the Tamil Nadu Government has sought significant funding under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, it has not laid out a perspective plan for bus operations in Chennai. These luxury buses with peak fares connect not the core city routes, but suburbs, and have a low frequency. Photo: R. Ragu
RAIL CONNECT: The A1 Service is a rarity - in concept and frequency. It connects the premier railway station in Chennai, Central, with Thiruvanmiyur. Little effort is made to advertise such services to arriving train passengers.
DO THE NEW: These articulated buses are of recent vintage, but as this scene in Ambattur shows, there are not enough of them. Photo: S.Thanthoni
AN OLDER VERSION: An older version of a trailer bus in Chennai, operated four years ago on the arterial GST Road. Photo: A. Muraleetharan.
THESE ARE HISTORY: This is what a 'vestibule bus' looked like seven years ago. The buses may have changed in appearance, but MTC's services have not achieved a quantum leap in frequency, comfort, ease of access and coverage in the core city.