Buses that do not stop at hospitals cause hardship

Chennai: Hundreds of people going to hospitals by buses in the capital city are put into hardship each day, as numerous buses either do not stop near medical institutions or halt at least 500 metres away from them.

The stretch from Chrompet to Tambaram Sanatorium is one such example where three hospitals are located including Siddha hospital and Tambaram Government Hospital.

“Other than white board buses, no other buses stop at these hospitals. PP 66, 70 C, sometimes stops at TB hospital. But the huge number of buses crossing these stations will not stop and instead halt at MEPZ. Because of this people have to walk all the way from MEPZ to these hospitals or have to depend on share autos, which charge more,” said Dr Ranjith, TB hospital. He added that the area is named sanatorium after this Asia’s largest TB hospital for tuberculosis and HIV / AIDS, yet it does not have a stop. Also, between Porur to Kundrathur, only white board MTC buses stop near hospitals. “Recently, the department cancelled many white board buses and as they seldom ply on the stretch, the patients have to opt for alternative modes of transport,” said a source from MTC.

Adding to the woes of commuters is the cancellation of bus routes. Bus number 17 that goes from Vadapalani to Broadway via Kodambakkam and Chetpet includes many hospitals en route and after it was cancelled, no alternative arrangement was made.

The case is the same with 37B going to Vadapalani from Thiruvika Nagar via Valluvar Kottam and Ayanavaram government hospital and 26R from Broadway to Mugalivakkam.

There have been many incidences in which patients were forced by conductors to get down the bus even if the bus is plying en route to a hospital. Reacting to this, the officials of MTC said they would sensitise their crew on the situation.