CHENNAI: In a relief to MTC bus passengers, MTC buses from Wednesday started plying on both directions in Chennai's famed arterial road, Anna Salai. This is after a seven years gap since the traffic flow in the portion of the road between LIC and Anand theatre bus stops was made one-way in 2012 for Metrorail construction.
This means a total of 2,963 trips the MTC buses will make every day on the Anna Salai as per their original routes.
“About 256 buses (in 52 routes) are operated via Anna Salai. All the buses being restored to the older routes,” said a senior official from MTC.
In March 2012, to facilitate Metrorail construction the traffic on the six-lane road was made as one way between LIC and Anand theatre bus stops. To divert the traffic, West Cott road - White road up to Anna Salai portion was also converted as one way traffic. Since then the MTC buses were diverted via General Patters road and White roads. Similarly, buses from Royapettah tower clock also diverted via Whites
road.
With the restoration of the MTC buses to their original routes, this Anna Salai stretch, one of the top business hubs in the city, will get bus connectivity to different parts of the city. With the Metrorail
too now operating services between AG-DMS and Washermenpet along this road, it is expected to make public transport much easier for people commuting to work.
D Raman, a regular commuter from Broadway said the restoration will enable the bus services to Anand theatre bus stop from where can easily access British Council and Devaneya Pavanar libraries. “So far
I got down at whites road and take a long walk to enter the library," he said.
The move expected to provide huge relief for bus commuters from the usual trafffic pile up at GP road junction during peak hours.