CHENNAI: Boarding and exiting a Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus can be dangerous. Express surveyed several locations and found that buses halt at a considerable distance away from their designated stops in the city. At times, they halt almost in the middle of the road. This puts passengers in danger, as they are forced to run to the bus, negotiating other vehicles passing by. This situation also causes traffic logjams, especially during rush hour. This leads one to question the purpose of bus stops and the huge money spent on it from the public exchequer.
Little Mount
Barricades are placed near the Metropolitan Magistrate’s court in Little Mount to enable buses to stop at the designated bay. However, it is common to find people crowd near the Our Lady of Health Church, as buses stop in middle of the road. Considering the route is a busy one, traffic is often blocked for vehicles coming from Saidapet.
Madhya Kailash signal
There is a bus stop in front of the Kasturba Nagar MRTS station, for the ones which proceed towards Tidel Park. But, it is abandoned and used as a shelter by beggars. Buses which come from Guindy halt nearly 200m short. A similar situation can be seen near NIFT, where the bus stand looks deserted. Passengers are forced to guess the precise spot where buses halt.
Saidapet
Just near the bridge built over the Adyar River at Saidapet, there is a bus stand with an overhead shed. However, passengers, who seek shelter from heat or rain standing underneath the shed, have to move out. MTC buses stop outside the stand. Jayalakshmi, who is new to the city, finds it difficult. “You never know if buses will get inside or go through the bay.”
Mylapore
Two bus stops 100m away from each other in front of Kapaleeshwarar Temple often confuses commuters. Mahesh Kumar from Tindivanam guessed the wrong stop and had to push through the crowd to catch his bus. “Imagine the plight of old people or women who can’t run. Drivers also do not wait to see whether people board the bus,” he said.
Thoraipakkam
Buses which ply on OMR do not seem to pick up passengers from the bus stop at Thoraipakkam. Rather, they halt along the roadside, often applying their brakes suddenly, forcing vehicles behind the bus to a sudden halt. “It is dangerous for motorists as drivers stop in places where there is no bus stop at all,” says Sengundran, a bike rider.