Residents of Pattabhiram want bus services to be resumed

Residents of Avadi and Pattabhiram want the several bus services, which were stopped, to be resumed. The ‘Vettri Payanam’ scheme was extended and launched by the State government for deluxe and limited stop services along with the launch of new buses and routes from the Poonamallee bus terminus.

The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) had stopped a number of bus services operated from Pattabhiram via Avadi towards various important destinations even while launching new bus routes recently. 

Consumer activist T. Sadagopan, a resident of Pattabhiram, said, in the wake having only suburban train services, residents relied on the MTC services where train services were not available, including Sriperumbudur, Guindy, and Kavignar Kannadasan Nagar (K.K.D. Nagar) in north Chennai. All these bus services have been stopped, causing hardships to residents. 

M. Gurunathan said that officegoers, traders, and patients bound for the Porur corridor had depended on the bus services operated to Guindy. As a result of the stoppage of this bus service, residents have to go to Ambattur and board another bus service to reach the destination. 

Similarly, residents of Velachery have been requesting for a direct bus service towards the central business destination of Anna Salai and Dr. MGR Central railway station. The MTC also removed a bus service operated to Tiruvottiyur via Anna Salai, and residents have to depend only on the bus service operated from Tambaram West to Royapuram bus stand (A51), which is operated on a long route. 

Residents want at least the bus service bearing no. A51 to be operated as a cut service from Velachery bus terminus. A senior official of MTC said, at present three air-conditioned buses, 17 Deluxe buses , and two ordinary buses, are being operated on the route. In fact, bus services were withdrawn as the earnings per km was only 30% against the average of 69%.