Chennai: Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) has been reducing the number of ordinary buses and increasing express and deluxe buses to focus on revenue.
But this move may not augur well with commuters as they have criticised the transport department when MTC had earlier reduced the number of ordinary buses prompting it to restore the bus services. Such move has caused immense inconvenience to commuters in the city.
Ever since the transport department steeply hiked bus fare in January 2018, the department came under sharp criticism. Further, commuters urged MTC to operate more number of ordinary services, as less fare will be collected in these buses. Buckling under pressure, MTC also increased more such fleets (ordinary buses), giving some relief to passengers.
However, such happiness seems to have been short-lived, as the issue is back to square one now.
“Many bus routes such as D70, 71E, 101 and 54 do not have ordinary buses putting commuters in a fix, as they need to pay extra amount. Since the MTC is reeling under financial crisis, such decision has been taken and all the branch managers have been instructed to increase the collection by operating only express and deluxe buses,” said a source in MTC headquarters.
“I never saw any deluxe bus of 15B (from Koyambedu to Broadway). Recently, I was surprised to see a couple of deluxe buses operating from the same route,” said A. Kannan, a painter, who often travels to Broadway from Koyambedu.
Transport union members suggest that the MTC should again implement ‘one day pass’ system. “The fact remains that implementing one pass system will add a shot in the arm for MTC in terms of increasing revenue. The amount for one day pass can be between Rs 75 and Rs 80,” said Kothandan, a former employee of MTC.
When contacted by DC, Anbu Abraham, managing director, MTC, assured of looking into the issue. “To my knowledge, we have not lessened the ordinary services in the city. However, I will instruct the managers to operate buses, as was done earlier,” the MD said.
