MTC to ply 209 more buses to meet demand, avoid crowding

The MTC, which resumed services in September following the suspension of operations for over six months due to the lockdown, saw a drastic fall in the passenger patronage and has been operating limited services. According to the MTC officials, about 2,300 buses were operated every day as against its fleet strength of 3,300 buses.

“With the increase in the patronage following the relaxations announced by the government, we have decided to operate additional 209 buses along with the existing services of 2,300 buses from Monday,” said an official. The operation of the additional buses would help address the passengers’ complaints of overcrowding in certain stretches, the official said.

The official said the issue of the overcrowding was more among the suburban train routes. “With the operation of the suburban trains not yet fully restored, the buses plying along these routes are overcrowded. We have been operating additional buses in Avadi-Ambattur stretches of the MTH road and Guduvancherry-Tambaram areas as well,” the official said.

The MTC also decided to withdraw nine buses operated in five routes due to poor patronage. Two deluxe buses plying in 104A route between Avadi and Tambaram via Chennai Bypass and three deluxe services 47D SP from Avadi to Thiruvanmaiyur were among the buses to be withdrawn because of poor patronage.