With the city limits set to expand, the demand for greater coverage of public transport services is bound to rise. However, even as the suburban areas that will get merged are in line for better bus services, the experience of many residential localities within the city leaves a lot to be desired.
Though the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) is the largest public transport operator in the city, serving over four times the number of passengers as the suburban railway line every day, it does not cater to all the areas within the city. The lack of coverage has become so acute that residents say MTC's inadequacy has begun to put a strain on the growth and expansion of the city.
In some localities, even the presence of a terminus has not resulted in adequate bus services. The Elango Nagar bus terminus in Virugambakkam is a perfect example. V. Rajagopal, a resident of Officers Colony, said the terminus was established in 2001 after a long struggle by the residents of Elango Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, T.V.S. Colony, Officer's Colony, Thevar Nagar and Padi.
He complained that when the city's population was growing at a phenomenal rate, the MTC has reduced bus services to the terminus citing shortage of buses, resulting in hardship to the office-goers. A few years ago, eight buses on different routes were operated daily, but now only three bus services are being operated, Mr.Rajagopal added.
With MTC's mini-bus route study throwing up gaping holes in the coverage of bus services even within the city, the call to expand the bus fleet has only gotten louder. The Chennai Comprehensive Traffic and Transportation Study (2008) says that the city requires at least 5,500 buses by 2016. MTC now has about 3,000 buses.
C.R. Ramakanthan, a regular MTC commuter, complained about the complete neglect of the residential colonies located on the northern side of the Villivakkam by the MTC. He said that only two bus services are operated from Srinivasa Nagar and the 29C services ply only on weekdays.
While Anna Nagar, Choolaimedu and Ayanavaram are all supposed to be located well within the city limits and several buses ply through the roads, the residents of these localities have a grouse that they are unable to utilise the bus facility because of overcrowding. The residents want more buses to be operated from these localities. The Anna Nagar East bus depot established several years ago is not used at all, the residents say.
Residents of several densely populated residential neighbourhoods in southern suburbs such as Nanganallur, Kelambakkam, and Pallavaram also face similar woes. Buses have also not started plying along a number of important link roads which have recently come up.
MTC Managing Director S.Bhoopathy said that the demand for additional buses and new routes, especially in western and southern suburbs, is legitimate.
“We will be undertaking surveys during morning and evening rush hour shortly. Based on passenger demand, additional services can be considered. Certain services are discontinued due to lack of adequate number of passengers. We have also begun exploring circular routes, similar to the ones in towns such as Tiruchi and Madurai. High frequency buses services can operate on circular routes in many of these suburban areas at least during the morning and evening rush hour.”
