CHENNAI: The direct bus (41D) from Mandaveli to Avadi caters to thousands of commuters, who depend on its service to travel from the southern part to the western part of Chennai. With the introduction of the new bus 41, the bus services of the older bus 41D will soon come to a halt. The new bus service 41 has been in function since June 1. This bus shares the same starting point as 41D and will start from Ambattur OT bus stand. The new bus will ply through a route similar to that of bus number 27H covering Mylapore, Sterling Road and Thirumangalam.
Though 41D’s service has not been completely stopped, its frequency has largely reduced. “There were around 18 buses plying in this route alone and one used to get a bus every 20 minutes. But now, we have just one bus every three hours,” said an official at the time office.
As 41D plies through many city colleges, students living in areas like Padi, Anna Nagar and Avadi depend on its services to get a ride back home. “This is one among the very few straight buses which connects Avadi to many colleges in and around Nungambakkam. Though there is a bus only once every hour, we still wait for it. But nowadays it is practically impossible to wait for close to three hours for a bus. It would be useful if they increase the frequency instead of totally stopping it,” said an evening college student who resides in Pattabiram.
Sources from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) say that this decision was taken by higher officials owing to requests by people living near Mylapore for the need of a direct bus to Ambattur from their locality.
Also as this route has a better patronage when compared to 41D’s existing route, officials claim that revenue from 41’s route will be much more. Though,the service of 41 is scheduled to start at 4.50 am from Mandaveli, officials at the depot say the buses are delayed by an hour. “This will severely affect people regularly travelling for work from Teynampet, Choolaimedu and Anna Nagar. Around three to four passengers told me that they will complain to the MTC about this. 41D travels through residential areas where other buses don’t frequent,” said a conductor of 41D at the Mandaveli Depot.
For 68-year-old Thangamani, who commutes from Mandaveli Depot to Chinthamani in Anna Nagar, 41D is the only direct bus service. After the frequency was reduced he had to wait for more than an hour to catch the bus. “If they stop this service, I have to take a bus till Gemini and change buses from there. After the ticket prices were hiked changing two buses every day is going to cost me lot more,” said
Thangamani, a resident of Anna Nagar East.
New route
The new bus will ply through a route similar to that of bus number 27H covering Mylapore, Sterling Road and Thirumangalam. Sources from the Metropolitan Transport Corporation say that this decision was taken by higher officials owing to requests by people living near Mylapore for the need of a direct bus to Ambattur.