Protest over shifting of bus services from ICF to Villivakkam terminus

The terminus at ICF is used not only by the workers of the passenger coaches manufacturing unit of the Railway but also by people residing in the railway quarters and nearby areas. The terminus is also located close to the ICF hospital and at least four schools. From the terminus, more than 50 buses such as 29C, 7B, 37A, 47A, 26, and 37C were operated in various routes.

But over the years, the services were gradually reduced and only 47 and 47A buses are now plying to Tiruvanmiyur, Adyar and Besant Nagar. “From Saturday, even 47 and 47 A buses plying from the ICF terminus have been shifted to Villivakkam. We don’t know why the MTC abruptly shifted the services to Villivakkam,” said R Govindaraj, a resident of the railway quarters.

The timing of the MTC to shift the origin-destination of 47 and 47A buses is what shocked the local residents more. Pointing out that the MTC has been running a limited number of services and only lesser number of passengers are allowed to board due to the social distancing norms in view of COVID-19, Govindaraj said that if the buses start from the Villivakkam terminus, there would not be any seat for the passengers waiting at ICF terminus. “Now we are forced to travel to Villivakkam to board 47 and 47A buses,” he said.

K Sarala, a government school teacher, said she has been travelling on 47 A for the past 10 years. “We don’t know why bus services were shifted to Villivakkam terminus, which is already crowded, all of a sudden,” she rued. She urged the MTC to reconsider its decision and resume service from the ICF terminus in the interest of people living in the adjacent localities.

When asked, an MTC official said all services have been extended to Villivakkam and the buses would continue to stop at the ICF bus stop. “We decided to extend the service considering the space constraint at the ICF,” the official added.