After distance, pricey fare worries commuters at KCBT
The maximum fare in a deluxe bus is Rs 49 while it is Rs 24 in ordinary buses. For the express fare buses, which plies in very few numbers, the fare ranges from Rs 7 to Rs 35.
Kilambakkam bus terminus (Photo: Manivasagan.N)
CHENNAI: Passengers travelling to the newly opened Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) at Kilambakkam not only face hurdles of long distances but also spend a lot on bus fares as the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) operates nearly 70 per cent of the bus services under the deluxe and express fare category.
K Uma Devi, a resident of Royapuram, said that she had to spend nearly Rs 200 on MTC bus fare alone when she returned from her native Trichy along with her two sons. “I had to wait for an ordinary fare 21G for a long time and then took a deluxe bus to Broadway. From Broadway, I boarded an ordinary bus to Royapuram availing a free ride for myself. The MTC should operate more ordinary fare buses from Kilambakkam terminus,” she demanded.
Ravikumar, another passenger from Ambattur said that almost all the buses plying via Ambattur to Kilambakkam are deluxe fare buses. “I didn’t board three deluxe fare buses from Madhavaram and Redhills and waited for 30 minutes for an ordinary fare bus. With no option left, I boarded a deluxe bus to the new terminus,” he lamented.
The minimum fare in deluxe buses starts from Rs 11 while it was Rs 5 in ordinary buses. The maximum fare in a deluxe bus is Rs 49 while it is Rs 24 in ordinary buses. For the express fare buses, which plies in very few numbers, the fare ranges from Rs 7 to Rs 35.
Dr KP Subramanian, Visiting Faculty, Professor (Retd.), Division of Transportation Engineering, Anna University said that the MTC should operate more ordinary fare buses than deluxe or express fare buses. “Poor and middle-class people travel by bus. More ordinary buses should be operated to make the travel affordable,” he said.
An MTC official at Kilambakkam said that the corporation has introduced many new bus routes to ensure hassle-free travel of passengers to and from Kilambakkam. “Many buses are plying through Chennai Bypass and Outer Ring Road connecting places like Poonamallee, Avadi, Koyambedu, Redhills, Perambur, Madhavaram, and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar to avoid city traffic,” the official said, adding that they are operating adequate number of ordinary fare buses.
