Bus drivers’ complaints have not been addressed yet R Satish Babu
CHENNAI: In Ayanavaram bus terminus, more cars and bikes are parked inside than buses. With the entrance of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) located inside the terminus, most of the visitors park their vehicles there, causing inconvenience to bus drivers and commuters.
“The RTO’s main entrance is blocked by Amma Unavagam, so the visitors can only use the side entrance located inside the terminus. Moreover, the RTO has a very small parking space that cannot fit more than 20 vehicles. So, this space is mostly occupied by the staff members of RTO,” said K Srinivasulu, a regular commuter.
Often, bus drivers have to wait outside the terminus till some vehicles are cleared or moved, and this creates traffic on the road. “If we hit a bus or car, we will be blamed despite the parking being unauthorised. We are unable to go inside or come outside the terminus. We have complained to concerned authorities but there is no response yet,” said a bus driver on condition of anonymity. Another commuter, R Arun, added, “It is an irony that there is no space for the buses at the bus terminus. The officials spend lakhs in constructing the bus stop, but don’t spend a rupee for maintenance. Similar is the plight of most other bus stops — some have broken roofs and floors while some are waterlogged and stinking.”
Moreover, the place has become a hub for anti-social elements at night and in the mornings tipplers are found sleeping on the floor. “This might look like a petty issue, but the consequences can be fatal. The bus drivers are tired after the shift and if by mistake, they run over a sleeping tippler or a bike, the damages will be irreparable. Proper security personnel must be posted to stop the unauthorised parking,” said K Anbazhagan, state secretary, SVS-AAP Transport Union.The officials of MTC did not want to comment on the issue.
