Lack of Metropolitan Transport Corporation bus passes’ renewal centres on East Coast Road and Rajiv Gandhi Salai is forcing commuters to stand in long queues, often for a long time.
At present, the renewal centres are located on the premises of the Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus and outside the Adyar bus depot on Lattice Bridge Road.
A majority of the commuters from Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Kelambakkam, Sholinganallur, Padur, Neelankarai, and Injambakkam renew their passes at the centre at Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus.
“A section of the commuters residing at Kelambakkam renew their monthly passes at counters near the West Tambaram bus terminus,” V. Kannagi, a resident of Rathinamangalam in Melakottaiyur, said.
Kannagi renews her monthly pass at Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus. The centres are open from the 1st to the 22nd of every month. Commuters say a long queue prevails at these centres and the waiting time is longer on Saturdays. Commuters including college students, working professionals and even labourers renew the monthly ‘Travel As You Please’ pass for ₹1,000 and the concession passes priced at ₹320, ₹370, ₹410, ₹450, ₹500, ₹540, ₹590, ₹630, ₹670.
Students’ passes alone are an exception, as they are given between the first and the 13th of every month. V. Giridharan, a resident of Padur, says, “The commuters have to go to Thiruvanmiyur bus terminus to renew the passes. I have to commute more than two hours to renew my monthly pass and wait in queue for more than 45 minutes at the terminus.”
He said that the centres could be opened near educational institutions and workplaces since many working professionals are opting for the ₹1,000 bus pass. Major bus stops on ECR and OMR should have renewal centres, he added. More counters should be opened at the renewal centres. At present, the renewal centres have only one counter, M. Divya, a resident of Neelankarai, said. Will the woes of the buspass holders would be alleviated?
