Unfit MTC buses get ‘fitness’ certificate

According to reliable MTC sources, each bus should get a Fitness Certificate from the RTO every year to be available for service. However, the MTC officials are colluding with the RTO officials, who give FCs to vehicles, which are in pathetic condition. 

K Veeraragavan, secretary, State Transport Corporation (MTC Branch), said, “Over 1,500 of the MTC buses are completely unfit. However, even these vehicles get FC from the RTO. The technicians sometimes switch some of the parts on the vehicles just to get the clearance. There had been incidents where the RTO would give FC to a bus and the MTC would suspend its service the next day due to a mechanical issue. Such practices put the safety of hundreds of passengers at risk and the officials con

cerned should pay attention to it instead of focusing only on revenue.” 

Daniel Robinson, programme manager, Chennai City Connect, who had undertaken a study about the city’s transportation system, said, “Funds to procure new buses should be allotted to the MTC every year. Public transportation can earn more profit if the service is good. Two decades ago, about 50 per cent of the commuters in the city preferred MTC buses. Now, it has come down to just 27 percent.” He added that other major cities in the country are giving importance to the public transportation system. However, the officials deny such incidents and maintain that all the buses are in good conditions. 

When contacted by DTNEXT, a senior MTC official denied the allegations and said, “All the vehicles are fit. We have instructed the technicians to bring it to our notice, if there are any faulty parts in any of the buses, so that we can immediately replace or repair those parts. 

He added that the Corporation had sent a proposal to the state government to procure 1,000 regular buses to replace the old ones last year, but have not received any funds yet. 

Meanwhile, the State Transport Department denied that the RTO officials were hand in glove with MTC officials, “We regularly inspect the vehicles, after which we issue the FC,” said an official.