CHENNAI: An analysis of the transport system conducted by Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) along with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) has revealed about 61% of Chennai residents live within walking distance of the public transportation system.
As per the ‘People Near Transit’ report, about 56.5% residents live near the bus network. “36% of the population has access to frequent bus services, establishing a measurable baseline that gives MTC Chennai a clear target to expand high-frequency coverage city-wide,” the report stated. Moreover, 44% of employment centres and 52% of schools are already within the frequent bus transit routes.
On the other hand, Metro rail coverage is on track to grow from 9.5% to 23% of the population with phase 2 completion, presenting a major opportunity to boost overall PNT scores and multimodal connectivity.
The study also identified Ambattur, Sholinganallur, Kolathur, Perambur, Villivakkam, Maduravoyal, and Anna Nagar as clear priority areas where targeted investments can deliver the greatest improvements in transit access.
“People Near Transit (PNT) is a spatial analysis used to measure the proportion of a city’s population that lives within a walkable distance of public transit services. It is an effective proxy indicator to measure how well a city provides transit access to its residents,” the report explained.
The report recommends the MTC to deploy 520 mini buses to improve connectivity between residential areas and major public transportation corridors, and to expand school bus routes for safe and reliable travel of students.
An MTC release said in the coming years, based on the study, MTC will focus on expanding the bus services, strengthening first-mile and last-mile connectivity, and improving multimodal transport integration. Through these measures, the residents across all parts of the city will have access to modern, efficient, and sustainable public transport services.