PUBLIC TRANSPORT - BUSES

After Mumbai, it is only Chennai which has a good public transportation for travellers within the city. The Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) which operates buses have years of experience in understanding the requirements of Chennaiites. Today buses are available for the people to travel to every nook and corner of the fast growing city and even the suburbs 60-70 KM away from Chennai.

It is commendable that recently the MTC has modernised their fleet of buses to include new buses of different types including Air-Conditioned ones which have been welcomed by the people very well. Certain long distant routes have come as a boon to the employees and visitors of the Industries that are coming up just outside the city.

The buses however has added to the congestion and chaos on the roads. The vestibule buses, especially, are great contributors to this. What was the factor that influenced the introduction of these type of buses on Chennai roads is not known. The bus drivers have become rash and show their frayed nerves. True, their patience may were out on continuous driving on these roads, but with their large sized vehicles they may become killers on the roads which need to be checked. Another thing which I found is that these drivers have scant regard for the traffic signals. They run through the red light not caring about any vehicles coming in the other direction. Worse, it is not immediately corrected by the Trafffic cops who are totally ineffective when it comes to booking these errant drivers.

The maintenance of these new buses are however, very poor. Apart from the mechanical problems, the interiors are kept in bad condition. The doors do not work, the rubber beadings on the doors are worn-out or torn, the seats are broken and the window shutters are broken or damaged. The air-vents are either permanently open or permanently closed. One can imagine what can happen during rains.

There is a door provided on the right side for the driver to enter. But, somehow, I have observed only in this city that the drivers take their seat by stepping on the engine. In Indian culture there is a certain sanctity given to the engines in motors for which pujas are performed. May be the drivers do not believe in it.

The MTC way of taking a right turn is go to the extreme left of the road, block all the traffic coming behind, overtake all the vehicles standing for the right turn and stop the bus in front of all of them. When the timer for the green signal is still 10 seconds away, they surge the bus forward not caring for the vehicles coming in the opposite direction.