Commuters using the services of two bus services in the city — 6D (Tollgate-Thiruvanmiyur) and 2A (kondungaiyur-Anna Square) — want the Metropolitan Transport Corporation to increase the frequency of the buses.
Commuters say that there is a considerable time lag in services and they are forced to wait for long at the bus stops.
Says T. Shantha, a commuter from Besant Nagar, “The wait time can go up to 30 minutes on most days. The only other option we have is to board a connecting service. Last week, even after waiting for more than 20 minutes at the All India Radio bus stop, there was no sign of the bus. So, I boarded route number 109 to Adyar bus depot and took another bus to Besant Nagar.”
On Tuesday evening, passengers waiting at Chepauk complained that they had been waiting for nearly an hour. “MTC has cut down the services which has left commuters in the lurch,” says a passenger.
The situation is not any different at Anna Square bus terminus, especially for those dependent on the services of route number 2A. They claim that the frequency of this service is almost nil during the evening rush hour, forcing them to rely on other modes of transport such as trains and share autos.
“We board trains from Chennai Central suburban terminal to Vysarpadi Jeeva and Korukkupet and take share autos to reach Kodungaiyur. The other option is to go to High Court terminus and board route number 116, which plies between Kaviarasu Kannadhasan Nagar and High Court. if the frequency of 2A is increased during the rush hour, we need not have to take detours like these,” says B. Pandian, a commuter.
He says that multiple representations to MTC officials on the issue have evoked no response.
New services sought
Meanwhile, residents of New Washermenpet and Royapuram, have urged MTC to introduce bus sevices between Thiruvottiyur and Ennore via Cemetery Road, Royapuram, and New Washermenpet, from High Court bus terminus. At present, only 6D plies between Toll Gate and Thiruvanmiyur.
“Sometimes, it is very difficult to board the bus as it gets very crowded at Government Raja Sir Ramaswamy Mudaliar (RSRM) Lying-in Hospital at Royapuram. So, some commuters walk till Bharath Theatre Bus Stop near the intersection of Thiruvottiyur High Road and Cemetery Road and Washermanpet bus stops. At times, route number 32A plying between Foreshore Estate and Toll Gate bus terminus does not halt at Bharath Theatre bus stop,” says a commuter.
