MTC to cut cost, skips bus maintenance

Staff at the transport corporation claimed that even when technicians are requesting officials to change significant parts after inspecting the buses, officials turn a blind eye leading to commuters feeling the pinch.

The MTC is operating around 3,200 buses in the city. However, officials send only 25 per cent of them for maintenance. “Keeping revenue in mind the officials are indulging in such practices, because 75 per cent of the MTC buses are aged and if such buses come for maintenance, the expenditure will be high,” an MTC official said on condition of anonymity. 

K Natarajan, treasurer of Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), said, “Every MTC bus should undergo daily, weekly and monthly maintenance works. The department should pay special attention to maintenance not only to the MTC buses, but also to mofussil buses.”  

MTC mechanics observe such a situation in all the 32 depots. A senior technician in Ennore depot recounted, “Two decades ago, all the buses would come to depot for maintenance. However, things have changed, as officials are sending five to seven buses against 32 aged buses nowadays. Only buses that are one or two years old are sent considering that there will be no technical issues.” 

“The transport department hiked bus fare, but it failed to look into the maintenance. We can see some buses halting along the road due to frequent breakdowns in the city,” said K Maran, a regular commuter. When contacted, an MTC official maintained that they send buses for regular maintenance. 

“Further, the state transport department is mulling over a proposal to buy new buses soon, after which such aged buses will be replaced,” the official added.